Canoe Slalom World Championships: Joe Clarke ready to challenge after 'building from zero'

British Olympic canoe slalom champion Joe Clarke says he "lost all confidence" in his ability after a lacklustre return to competition.

Clarke, 25, took six months out from the sport after Rio 2016 but struggled to make an impact when he returned.

He is back at the Rio course this month as part of a 10-strong team for the Canoe Slalom World Championships - and says he has now overcome self-doubt.

"I had to build again from zero," Clarke told BBC Sport.

The Englishman said he had started to wonder if Rio 2016 had been a "one-off performance", but added that he was not training enough when he first got back on the water.

"I came back from the break last year and was probably only doing two-thirds of the training I should have been doing," said Clarke.

"I'd be getting gradually slower and slower as I went down the course. You start asking yourself: 'Am I capable?'

"It has an impact on your mentality on the start line when you think that, even if you put down your best run, you probably won't win a medal."

In June, Clarke claimed his first podium since the Rio Games with a bronze medal at the World Cup event in Slovakia and followed that up with a gold in Poland.

He has climbed to fourth in the world rankings for the K1 (individual kayak) event and now feels confident he can win a first World Championships medal in Brazil.

"After a good block of training last winter I'm more mentally, physically and technically ready than I have been before for any competition," he said.

"I'm going to back to Rio with a bit of a 'home advantage' having performed well there and having trained on the course so much in the lead-up to the Olympics.

"I'm fully expecting to go to the World Championships and bring home a medal."

Among Clarke's team-mates at the championships will be three-time Olympic silver medallist David Florence and European champion Ryan Westley - both in the men's C1 (individual canoe) category.

Mallory Franklin, defending world champion in the women's C1 event, will double up to also contest for honours in the K1.

Franklin, 24, said: "I'd like to go and win it again but slalom is such an up-and-down sport that even just to be in the final again would show a consistency - and that's really what I want.

"I've got kayak as well and I'm 10th in the world there - so I'm competitive, and a medal in that is not a complete impossibility."

Christopher Bowers (K1M)

Adam Burgess (C1M)

Joe Clarke (K1M)

David Florence (C1M)

Bradley Forbes-Cryans (K1M)

Mallory Franklin (K1W / C1W)

Bethan Forrow (C1W)

Fiona Pennie (K1W)

Ryan Westley (C1M)

Kimberley Woods (K1W/C1W)