Central Otago paddler Finn Butcher’s run in the canoe slalom K1 at the Paris Olympics has ended in disappointment with a costly penalty.
Butcher was penalised 50 points when officials deemed he had missed a gate.
His race began promisingly with an outstanding performance, recording a time of 90.40sec - one of the fastest of the semi-finals and would easily have qualified him for a spot in the final 12, according to Team New Zealand.
The 29-year-old seemed surprised to be hit with the penalty, and when he finished his run was initially celebrating with supporters.
He said it didn’t feel to him like he’d done anything to warrant the penalty.
“It didn’t feel like it from where I was, but they’ve got a few camera angles and can slow down the action.”
“It was a few millimetres. As disappointed as I am not to get to race in the final, that’s sport. It’s often decided by just a few millimetres.”
Butcher said he has enjoyed his first taste of the Olympics.
“It was awesome, to be racing with the best in the world. It was always my dream as a kid, and as an adult, to get to the Olympics.”
Like New Zealand’s top female canoe slalom racer, Luuka Jones, Butcher now turns his attention to the kayak cross.
“I’ll sit on what happened here for a bit, and then put it aside and move on to my other event.”
