Staffordshire’s Joe Clarke wins a gold medal in the canoe slalom

But neither could beat his time and a jubilant Clarke raised his paddle in celebration as the realisation that he had just won Britains first ever Olympic gold in the discipline, sank in.

Clarke won by a fraction of a second, completing the course in 88.53 seconds, over second-place finisher Peter Kauzer, 32, of Slovenia, who clocked in at 88.70 seconds.

Knowing there were only two paddlers left, Clarke was assured of at least a bronze medal. Joe Clarke (from Worthing) then moved to put a stop to it… Slovakia’s Jakub Grigar posted the best time followed by Prskavec, with world champion Kauzer fourth.

“For it to all to come together on the day – for sure I’ve had some luck, but you need a bit of luck in this sport to excel and that’s come today”.

Clarke, from Stoke-on-Trent, says his sporting hero is Sir Chris Hoy. “I don’t know what I did to deserve that but I did something right along the way”.

Both Kauzer and Prskavec had been ranked higher in the International Canoe Federation standings, at fifth and 11th, respectively. It was the first Olympic medals for all three, and only the second gold in canoe slalom for Britain. His family believed in him enough that 20 relatives and friends were in the stands to watch, including his parents and brother.

“To wake up this morning thinking this is actually the finals of the Olympics and I could come away being the Olympic champion is just like wow”.

He tried to join his local club but was told he was “too young” but kept pushing until he was allowed to join when he was 11. Making the final was his main goal, and a medal a bonus.

“I went to bed last night dreaming about what I’ve wanted for so many years – to wake up this morning and say this is actually the finals day of the Olympics, and be here, it’s like wow”. While Czech’s Prskavec coming next is ahead at the first check point a two-second penalty catapults him behind Clarke.

“It’s enabled me to do what I did today”.