Ed McKeever bags sprint gold

Ed McKeever stormed to gold for Britain in the 200m kayak sprint at Eton Dorney on Saturday.

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The 28-year-old from Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, led from the start as he powered over the line ahead of Spaniard Saul Craviotto Rivero and Canadian Mark de Jonge.

He punched the air as he crossed the line, splashing water at the side of his boat after winning gold.

There was a slight headwind on the lake which meant his winning time of 36.246 seconds was slower than both the times he recorded in Friday's heats and semi-final.

McKeever said he woke up this morning at 5am "like a kid at Christmas wanting to open my presents".

"I am going to get that present in a minute," he told the BBC before his medal ceremony.

McKeever said the race was "really painful" and a headwind made it feel "that bit longer".

"I was really just focused on the first two or three strokes and I wanted to nail those and get out cleanly," he said.

Asked how he was feeling as he crossed the line, McKeever said: "Just relief. It sounds strange. Not elation, more relief and so happy I could do it in front of the home crowd - it's brilliant."

Asked how he felt about being dubbed the "Usain Bolt of the water", McKeever added: "Luckily I have the gold medal to go with it now. I am more willing of that tagline.

He continued: "I am just so pleased that I could do well. I was really buzzing, in the zone and wanting to do well.

"I haven't made any long term plans yet. It could still go either way. I could have a career ahead of me but I am just waiting to see how I feel after this."

He admitted he thought he might struggle with the headwind, adding: "Because I am one of the lighter guys I am more affected by the wind.

"I was kind of out clean (off the start line) and just held on. I am just so happy. I am just so happy that I can contribute to the medals table. I haven't actually seen many other sports. It's literally been canoeing, canoeing, canoeing."

McKeever sang the national anthem as he received his medal in front of 30,000 spectators packed into the grandstands.

In the men's 200m canoe sprint final, Ukrainian Yuri Cheban took the gold in a time of 42.291 seconds, ahead of Lithuanian Jevgenij Shuklin in second and Russia's Ivan Shtyl, who took bronze.

Cheban, 26, said: "We were prepared for everything so today suited me well."

Jevgenij Shuklin from Lithuania won silver but had also hoped of a gold medal.

He said: "It was my first Olympic Games and my dream was to win gold but I hope I can do that in Rio in four years' time."