Fouhy Fights Virus In World Championship Lead Up

Fouhy Fights Virus In World Championship Lead Up

Ben Fouhy, Olympic Silver medalist and New Zealand Kayak champion, has been battling a virus as he prepares for the world kayaking championships, due to start tomorrow in Hungary.

Fouhy relocated to the Northern Hemisphere earlier this year for the summer racing season and has achieved very good results in recent world cup races. However, his recent illness has affected his training and hampered his preparation for the world championships.

"It is very frustrating as I have been focused on achieving strong results at the world champs," says Fouhy. "It is certainly not the ideal preparation I had hoped for. The virus has affected my energy levels and has had a huge impact on my training schedule."

During the season Fouhy has been competing in the K1 500 and K1 1000 distances. Leading in to the world championships Fouhy has made the decision to focus solely on the K1 1000 distance, for which he currently holds the world's fastest time.

Fouhy's results at the world cup in Poland and the German world cup regatta earlier this year indicated that he was on track for a very strong showing at the world championships. Fouhy achieved a first place in Poland and a second place in Germany over the 1000m distance. However, the virus he has contracted means Fouhy is now facing a difficult task in his bid to succeed at the world championships.

The world kayaking championships will run from August 17 – 20 in Szeged, Hungary.

ENDS

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