Dunstan High School (DHS) Year 13 student Ollie Goldsmith is home and hitting the books as practice exams loom, after an eight-week trip competing in kayak races in Europe.

Ollie (17) said watching Finn Butcher win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics has given him even more motivation to pursue his sporting dreams.

“It's a big inspiration for me.”

Ollie and brother Tom, a fellow paddler, got to catch up with Finn when he was back in Central.

Ollie, Finn and Tom. PHOTO: Supplied 

“It’s amazing what Finn has achieved.”

Ollie's eight-week trip took him to Prague in the Czech Republic, Vienna in Austria, Augsburg and Munich in Germany and finally to Liptovsky in Slovakia.

He competed in the under-18 world championships for kayak slalom and K1 and described the entirety of his trip as amazing.

His best performance was on the second day of racing in the European Canoe Association (ECA) junior cup in Augsburg.

“I was ninth in the semi-final, and 12th in the final . . . out of around 80 people.”

In Slovakia, in the world champs race he said things didn't go his way.

“In the first heat, it was terrible. I went out too fast, and I made some mistakes.

“In the second heat I came in fourth, then I went to the [semi-final].”

He finished up 33rd overall and said it was good to find out where he stands among the best in the world. 

“It was all good learning . . . and figuring out what I can do to improve, I need to paddle within myself, not go too fast and work on technique.”

Ollie thanked New Zealand U18 team coach Josef Prochazka, who has previously coached at Central Otago Whitewater (COW) club for two seasons, his parents, DHS and his friends and the broader COW community for their support.

Once mock exams are behind him, Ollie will continue with competitions, including the national championships in three weeks' time at Mangahao National Whitewater Centre in Shannon, taking place from October 3-6.

It was Ollie’s second time competing in Europe, and next year he will move up to the under-23 category which he said would be “a big step up.”

Ollie plans to go to the University of Waikato next year to study business management and sports coaching. 

The Central App will share an update on Ollie’s two friends from Alexandra Eddie Adams and Cooper Millwood, who have represented New Zealand in mountain biking events in Europe, later this week. 

Have you got a sporting success story to share? Let the news team know, email [email protected] 

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