Episode 36

"It's just sport and controlling the pandemic is more important" - GB Gold medal winner and E.D Doctor, Tim Brabants

Published on: 2nd March, 2021

He left the UK just in time to enjoy the freedoms of New Zealand during the pandemic. Tim Brabants is a doctor, specialising in Accident and Emergency, and a record-breaking canoeist.

Tim was GB's first ever gold medal winner in any canoe discipline when he came first in Beijing in Canoe Sprint.

He's now coaching with the Olympic Squad in NZ and although life is fairly normal over there - pubs, restaurants, shops are all open with limited changes - there are downsides. Teams haven't been able to leave the country to travel to international events.

Tim takes a very pragmatic position. "It's just sport" and controlling the pandemic is far more important. And Tim knows what his hospital colleagues in the UK and NZ are going through.

Tim competed in four Olympic Games(sorry Tim, I forgot London!) and has two bronze medals as well as his gold.

Here's the link to my Just Giving page if you'd like to donate to the cancer charity, Maggie's.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/destinationtokyo

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About the Podcast

Destination Tokyo
Olympic and Paralympic stories in the run up to the Tokyo Games.
I’ve covered 5 Olympic and 5 Paralympic Games at home and abroad. Tokyo 2020 was to have been numbers 6. So how are the athletes preparing during Covid times. And what are they learning in the run up to the Games. The Podcast lasts around 10 mins and comes out daily, Monday to Friday. I’m also using it to raise money for Maggie’s Cancer Centres to thank them for the help they’ve given my wife and family during her bowel cancer journey.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/destinationtokyo
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About your host

Profile picture for Mark Shardlow

Mark Shardlow

Hi - I'm Mark, a Sports Journalist specialising in Olympic and Paralympic Sports. I also help others podcast.