ACOG - News - IBM

(01 August 1996; Day 03)

"Professor of Canoe" is Role Model for Young Sprint Athletes

Ivan KLEMENTYEV has a doctorate in science and speaks seven languages. With qualifications such as these, KLEMENTYEV could be teaching at a higher institution of learning. Instead, Ivan has become a professor of something he is much more familiar with: canoes. At the age of 35, the Latvian is the oldest canoe competitor at these Olympic Games, and the two-time Olympic medalist has certainly earned his "tenure" in the world of paddling.

"I think I teach these younger canoeists different things," said KLEMENTYEV. "They watch me compete and try to learn. I think I am a role model to them."

Not a bad role model to have.

KLEMENTYEV stepped into the spotlight of the sprint canoe world when he captured the gold medal in the men's canoe single 1000m kayak event under the Soviet Union in 1988. In 1992, the Latvian was stripped of his gold by Bulgaria's Nikolay BUKHALOV and forced to settle for the silver, just one second back of the Bulgarian. Although this is only his third appearance in Olympic competition, KLEMENTYEV has been competing since the early 1980s. However, due to the Eastern European boycott he was unable to compete in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

"I was a member of the Russian team that boycotted the Games," said KLEMENTYEV. "I was young then and very good. I would have done well. "

In 1996, KLEMENTYEV hopes to regain the highest honor in athletic competition. "I get better and better with each Olympics. I will try hard for a medal and will go faster and faster for the finals."

KLEMENTYEV did not place in the preliminaries of the men's canoe single 1000 meter event during the first day of the sprint canoe/kayak events, and had to race the semifinals on Thursday. KLEMENTYEV prevailed in the semifinal, taking first and earning a spots in the final on Saturday.

"It was a very difficult race today. BUKHALOV was first in 1992. He is tough," said KLEMENTYEV. "I would have liked to have gone directly to the finals but I won (the semifinal), so that is good."

KLEMENTYEV will face his nemesis, BUKHALOV in the medal races as well as Martin DOKTOR of the Czech Republic, silver medalist at the World Championships. The threesome are top medal contenders in the men's canoe single 1000m event.

BUKHALOV has not competed well in these Olympic games and may be more easily tamed during the finals. The Bulgarian finished sixth in his preliminary race and during the semifinal, was nearly four seconds off KLEMENTYEV's lead pace to finish third. BUKHALOV's berth for the final did not come easy. After each of the heats, the top two finishers advance while the two third-place competitors must battle it out for the final spot in a head-to-head time comparison. BUKHALOV posted a time of 4:14.415 to oust Denmark's Arne NIELSSON (4:14.573) for the final spot.

"I hoped to do better than this," said BUKHALOV. "I did much training and the first competitions this year have not been bad. I don't know what's wrong."

While this could be a sign of a gold medal for KLEMENTYEV, the Latvian just hopes to race well in the finals.

"I want to get a good start in the final," said KLEMENTYEV. "And then I will race fast."

And with that race plan, KLEMENTYEV hopes to teach his pupils that the "professor" is still in charge.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by M. Lynne Bragg.


Return to Olympic News Menu

Select another day:
Pre July 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 August 1 2 3 4 Post


Olympic Factoid
An estimated 5.3 million visted Centennial Olympic Park between opening day - 13 July - and closing day - 4 August, making the park the most single most visited Olympic site during the Games.