Praise for Olympian's canal paddle success

5 hours ago

Tania SanghaBirmingham

News image — Eight paddle hubs have been created across Birmingham since 2020

BBC Fourteen people on two boats on a canal in Birmingham. There are 10 women and four men from different ethnicities wearing red life jackets. The boats are parked up by the canal footpath - one at the front is red and the other is purple at the back. There is also a Union Jack flag at the front of the purple boat. — Eight paddle hubs have been created across Birmingham since 2020

A former Olympian has been praised for his efforts to get more people using a city's canals which saw him recognised in the New Year Honours.

Andy Train, from Pershore, Worcestershire, represented Team GB in canoeing across five consecutive Games between 1984 and 2000 and was appointed an MBE in December.

Over the past 25 years, he has been teaching his skills to others and has been the driving force behind the Birmingham Community Paddle Sport Project.

"It just helps you clear your mind, connects you with nature and, by the end of a paddling session, you feel calmer in yourself as well," Train said.

He helped open eight paddle hubs across the city since beginning with one during the Covid pandemic, with the aim of encouraging underserved communities on to Birmingham's canals.

"I wanted to bring paddle sport to Birmingham and give access to the canals," Train said.

"The canals haven't been used and it's an enormous opportunity to use a really valuable asset."

A South Asian women wearing a black waterproof jacket with a hood on. She is sitting in a bell boat wearing a red life jacket and smiling to the camera. There is a Union Jack flag on a purple boat on her right. — Anisha Begum said she found the scheme "inspirational"

According to Paddle UK, the national governing body, more than 70% of those taking part across Birmingham's paddle hubs now come from some of the most underserved areas of the city.

There are also high numbers of women and from ethnically diverse communities taking part, their statistics revealed.

Anisha Begum, 32, said the hubs have helped broaden her horizons.

"I was brought up in Sparkhill, so it's not something that was introduced to me, to be part of a team or sport, especially on the water," she said.

"It's sort of taboo especially for South Asian women to be part of competitive sport, so I think by having a community that encourages others to push beyond your boundaries is just so inspirational."

Alfona Sood is a volunteer who helps lead paddle sessions.

"If you were to come here two three years ago you wouldn't see a single person from an ethnic minority paddling on the water," she said.

"So we've come a long way."

A Caucasian man sitting inside an orange kayak boat holding a black and blue paddle stick. The boat is in the canal. The man is wearing a Team GB jacket that is white, red and blue. He is also wearing a red life jacket. — Andy Train competed in five consecutive Olympic Games

On Train's MBE, Tahir Parvaz, from the Canal and River Trust, said it was well deserved.

"If there's anyone who deserves it more than Andy, I don't know who. He's just the man, who should be honoured in this way and it is really nice to support him," he added.

"None of this could happen if it was just myself. There's an awful lot of other people who've got involved, volunteers, giving up their own time," the Olympian added.

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