Renowned British slalom canoeist Joseph Clarke, 31, is qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after competing internationally since 2009.
Joseph Clarke’s Early Life
Joseph Clarke, MBE was born on November 3, 1992, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Clarke is a British slalom canoeist who has competed at the highest international levels, specializing in the K1 (kayak) and KX1 (extreme kayak/kayak cross) events. Clarke stands tall at 182 centimeters (6 feet) and maintains an athletic build, weighing 75 kilograms (165 pounds).
For his education, Joseph Clarke attended Alleyne’s Academy High School, having previously studied at Walton Priory Middle School during his earlier academic years. In terms of his physical attributes.
Clarke stands as the 2016 Olympic champion in the K1 event, a historic first for a British athlete in this discipline. He claimed the 2023 World Championship title in the same event. Furthermore, Clarke has made his name as a triple World champion in the kayak cross-discipline, showcasing his versatility and mastery across different canoeing events.
Joseph Clarke has been Qualified to Paris Olympics 2024
Joe Clarke has made a successful return to Great Britain’s canoeing squad, securing his place among the elite athletes selected to represent the nation at the highly expected 2024 Paris Olympics. The 31-year-old canoeist, who made his name in British sporting history by becoming the country’s first individual K1 gold medal winner at the 2016 Rio Games, had previously been left out of the postponed Tokyo Games in 2021.
Alongside Clarke, the esteemed squad also includes the likes of Mallory Franklin, Kimberley Woods, and Adam Burgess in Team GB.
“I can’t wait for Paris and I’m delighted to be selected,”
“I missed out on Tokyo and to go again eight years later is great. I’m a completely different athlete now.”
“I won the Olympics once, I want to go out next year and do the double this time round with two opportunities to win medals,”
“It’s special heading as reigning world champion. It adds a target to my back, but I have high expectations of myself so I’m very excited.”
Joe Clarke said
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Joe Clarke will take part in the men’s kayak single (K1) and the new kayak cross events. Mallory Franklin’s focus will be on the women’s canoe single (C1) as well as the kayak cross competition. Kimberley Woods will be competing in both the kayak single (K1) and kayak cross. Adam Burgess will race in the men’s C1 event.
Olympic kayak champion Joe Clarke aims to add extreme canoe slalom to his events for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Clarke missed the Tokyo 2020 Games due to injury.
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The extreme canoe slalom, a head-to-head competition, will debut at the 2024 Olympics. Clarke plans to compete in this discipline for the first time at a major event, the upcoming European Championships in Ivrea, Italy this month.
No canoe slalom athlete has ever won multiple medals at the same Olympic Games before. Clarke believes he can be the first to achieve this feat.
Joseph Clarke is a married man
On September 1, 2021, Joe Clarke got married to Bel Clarke. Together, they have a baby son named Hugo Clark. Bel Clarke is the owner of a beauty salon called BELLE & CO BEAUTY.
For Olympic champion Joe Clarke, being a father changed everything
Joseph Clarke’s newborn son Hugo arrived in January, bringing some chaos to the household at an important time for the 30-year-old athlete. Clarke is trying to secure a spot on the canoeing team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Due to the intense competition within the British canoeing camp, Clarke had to compete abroad on his first Father’s Day, participating in a World Cup event in Ljubljana. He hopes this will help strengthen his case for selection ahead of the upcoming European Games in Krakow.
Clarke is using the separation from his family as motivation, driving him to aim for a second Olympic gold medal.
“It gives you a new lease of life but also it’s given me a new level of focus,”, who roared to K1 gold at Rio 2016.
“If I’m away, I’m missing my son or wife like crazy, so I make it 100 percent worthwhile and put everything I have into that training camp”.
“Before it wasn’t the same intensity, now if we’re spending any time apart then every hour has to be eating, sleeping and breathing canoeing and getting better.
“I’d be lying if I said it was easy, it’s not, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.
“It’s hard to put into words how amazing it is, when he was born I was just in awe.”
Joe Clarke said
Joseph Clarke’s Canoeing Career so far
Early Career
Joseph Clarke’s journey into the world of canoeing began at a young age, sparked by a trip with The Scout Association when he was merely eight years old. Joseph Clarke represented the British junior team in 2009. He achieved success early on, winning silver medals in the K1 team event at the junior European Championships in both 2009 and 2010.
Since 2012, he has trained at the Lee Valley White Water Centre.
In 2013, Clarke won a silver medal in the individual K1 event at the European Championship for under-23 athletes. He further added by winning silver medals in the under-23 team event at the World Championships in 2013 and 2014.
The 2014 Canoe Slalom World Cup was a series of five races across five canoeing and kayaking categories, organized by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). The series kicked off with the first World Cup Race in Lee Valley, England, from June 6-8, and concluded with the World Cup Final in Augsburg, Germany, from August 15-17.
Professional Career
As Joseph Clarke transitioned into his role as a senior athlete, he made his name in the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, securing two bronze medals. Clarke’s success continued at the 2015 European Championships, where he added two silver medals to his collection.
Clarke’s performances in the individual K1 event at the British selection trials in October 2015 were nothing short of exceptional, earning him a well-deserved spot on the British team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
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At the Olympic Games, Clarke showcased by qualifying for the final of the K1 event with the third-fastest time in the semi-final. In the ultimate showdown, Clarke’ crossed the finish line in a remarkable 88.53 seconds, as the first British competitor to win gold in this event.
Clarke’s historic victory at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Clarke’s achievement was particularly outstanding as he secured Great Britain’s first men’s K1 slalom gold medal in the history of the games, while Anne, Emma, and Jeanette claimed the first-ever medals in para canoe.
Joseph Clarke in Canoe Slalom World Cup
In the 2019 Canoe Slalom World Cup, Clarke delivered a strong performance, securing the first position in the K1 men’s heat. However, his journey was not without its challenges. Clarke narrowly missed out on selection for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics. To secure his place, he attempted to force British Canoeing and begin a new selection process for the Olympic team. Unfortunately, his idea was rejected, and British Canoeing decided to stand by the existing team selection, allowing the chosen athletes to focus their efforts on the rescheduled games.
In the 2021 Canoe Slalom World Cup, where he secured a third position in the K1 men’s heat competition. The series opened with World Cup Race 1 in Prague, Czech Republic, from June 11-13, and concluded with the World Cup Final in Pau, France, from September 10-12.
In the 2022 Canoe Slalom World Cup, Clarke secured second positions in two events, the Kayak Cross held on June 12 and the K1 men’s Fit on June 18. Additionally, he claimed a third position in the same Kayak Cross event on June 19.
Clarke’s 2023 season has seen him shortlisted for the British Elite Athlete Association’s Athlete of the Year. On June 18, he secured the top spot in the Kayak Cross event at the Tacen venue, earning him 60 points, with double points awarded for the World Cup Final. His third-place finish in Krakow marked his fourth medal of the year.
