Motherwell canoeist Deborah Kerr says it hasn’t yet sunk in that she looks likely to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics – even though she earned an extra spot.
Former Dalziel High pupil Kerr is expected to represent GB in the 200m kayak sprint and says that is amazing, following a rollercoaster last few years.
The team hasn't been officially announced yet, but Kerr is almost certain to be named when it is.
Working under coach Kristina Medovcikova has allowed Deborah to raise her game and in Szeged, Hungary, earlier this month, she beat Italian paddler Francesca Genzo to post a time of 43.11.
At the ICF World Cup at the same location, Kerr then won the B-final of the K1 500m.
It’s all coming together, and Kerr, who trains at the British Canoeing High Performance Centre in Nottingham, said: “I can’t quite believe it yet, but it’s slowly sinking in.
“It was quite strange how it all happened, because we were given the spot back before I had actually raced for qualification, and then I went and qualified another spot for us.
“It’s slowly sinking in now, it has been a long time coming.”
Kerr wants to do the best she can in Tokyo, as does everybody else on the team.
She said: “Everyone’s wanting to do the same thing, to try and win, and I think that’s maybe a wee bit out of my depth.
“I raced the World Cup after the qualifiers last week and I think I’ve shown I can be at the top of at least the 200m finals, so I’m just going to work really hard over the next 10 weeks now.
“I’ll have time to improve and see how far up the finals I can finish.”
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