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ACCA trainee wins kayak gold

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13th Aug 2012
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Bath-born trainee accountant Ed McKeever raced to victory in the 200m kayak sprint on Saturday morning to achieve the profession’s own moment of Olympic glory.

Nicknamed “The Cleaver”, for his powerful opening strokes, 28-year-old McKeever is the reigning European champion at the event, which was included in the Olympic programme for the first time at London 2012.

The smallest and lightest of competitors in the final, McKeever raced into an early lead with his fast paddle work and then held off the challenges of heavier rivals in a time of 36.246secs.

McKeever woke up at 5am on the morning of the final and afterwards told the BBC he had been “like a kid at Christmas wanting to open my presents - I am going to get that present in a minute”.

After enjoying his presents, McKeever has a busy schedule. His first priority is to focus on his wedding to Anya Kucjak, a PE teacher, on 22 September near their current home in Beaconsfield.

Then he faces revision and the final round of his ACCA professional level exams in December. If his preparations are as successful as his sports training, he should be a qualified accountant by February 2013.

As if to emphasise his unflappable, focused demeanour the media noted how level-headed, calm and unassuming McKeever had been before the race, which took place on the second last day of the Olympic fortnight. After his victory, however, the papers were calling him the “Usain Bolt of the water”.

McKeever was having none of it. “He’s tall, I’m short,” he said.

Accountancy's other Olympians - how they fared

  • Iain Mackay, Hockey (GB) - just missed out on a bronze medal, losing the play-off match against Australia 3-1
  • Gemma Spofforth, Swimming (GB) - ICAEW president’s daughter placed fifth in both the individual women’s 100m backstroke and team 4x100m medley finals
  • Jenna Hansen, 6m Elliott Sailing (New Zealand) - Lost out during the knockout stages to the Russian Federation team
  • Yaritza Abel Rojas,  Judo (Cuba) - Lost to France’s Gevrise Emane during the last-16 elimination round of the women's 63-kg judo
  • Andre Vonarberg Rowing (Switzerland) - Sixth in the B final of the men’s quadruple sculls
  • Gwen Jorgensen, Triathlon (USA) - 38th in final. “Not my day yesterday,” she tweeted. “Wish I could do it over but can't. Instead using that internal motivation going forward.” 
  • Catriona Jennings Marathon (Ireland) - The PwC senior tax manager from Dublin came last after battling with a foot injury. Her coach said she was overwhelmed by the crowd’s support during the final, agonising mile.
  • Shimpei Oikawa and Reo Fujimoto, Wheelchair basketball (Japan) - If Olympics withdrawal symptoms are already kicking in, don’t despair. You can still cheer on the profession’s two representatives in wheelchair basketball at the Paralympics starting on 30 August.

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By Richard.Gillin
13th Aug 2012 17:12

And Claire Bergin, Deloitte trainee and one of the Irish women's 4x400m team (13th).  Claire is notable for the fact that she also competed at Vancouver 2010 in the Irish women's bobsleigh.

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By Robert_Woodward1978
14th Aug 2012 09:11

And Jonty Clarke, BDO Reading

GB men's hockey, scored in the 3-3 draw with Australia

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