Riley Melanson, a Canadian canoeist who has been working towards an Olympic dream for three years, made her Paris debut on Tuesday at the Vaire-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium. Her debut lasted just over 100 seconds.

It was exactly what she had hoped for.

Melanson said, "It's a thrill, and a real dream. I was scared to line up but the experience was amazing."

In the moments before the start, I take a moment to breathe deeply, take in everything and enjoy the moment.

The Canadian crew has one last chance to qualify for the final on the following day if they finish in the top two in Thursday's semi-finals.

If they were to exit at that point, it might seem like 200 seconds is a very small reward for all the work Melanson, her team and she have done over the past years, but Melanson remains delighted to be in the Games.

She explained, "It's very easy to think of it as the three years since the Olympics were held in 2021. They've been long and difficult but also very awesome."

The journey has brought me to this point and for that I am grateful.

The canoe sprint race is a fast-paced, frenetic event. In pairs or fours races it is important to stay in time with your fellow paddlers.

Melanson explained that they have been working on the rhythm for about three years. "When the horn sounds, everything is out of the window, and because everyone's so nervous you cannot think, it's all down to the muscle memory, and the trust in your team," Melanson added.

She still thinks that her and crew will be able to go the distance and compete for a medal at Paris.

She said, "We are not making any big progress right now. But it will be small steps that get us to the final." Clare Fallon, Clare O'Connor and Philip O'Connor contributed to the report.

(source: Reuters)