The last time Joe Clarke won Olympic gold, he ended up at a house party in former Brazil striker Ronaldo’s Rio de Janeiro home. Now he is hoping another golden moment can lead to a similar celebration with Kylian Mbappe.
Clarke was just 23 when he burst on to the scene by winning canoe slalom gold for what was his first international title of any kind. It sparked 11 days of celebrations in Brazil, capped off by an unlikely run-in with the former footballer at a rooftop bar.
“I was having a few drinks and there were a few famous people around, including Ronaldo,” he recalled. “I had my medal with me and showed him. He was like, ‘Is that an Olympic gold medal?’
“He was about to leave, asked me what I was doing next, and invited me back to his place. The lift doors were just opening, I didn’t have time to think, so just said, ‘yes’ — and next thing I’m being driven back to his house by his chauffeur.”
The invitation and acceptance were so quick, he did not have time to let his team-mates with whom he was drinking know about his exit, so texted them the surreal news that he was back at Ronaldo’s, playing pool with him and downing drinks.
Clarke now has his sights set on gold and another footballing run-in in Paris. “Hopefully Mbappe’s around,” he joked.
Now 31 and father to a 15-month-old son, he has a double shot at gold, in the traditional slalom, which begins on Tuesday, but also in the new Olympic discipline of kayak cross.
Initially sceptical, he has embraced cross and is ranked world No1. “The beauty of it is you’ve got that instant feedback as a spectator of the head to head to who’s in first,” he said.
“It’s like a 100m sprint. If you watch Usain Bolt run 9.6sec on his own, how boring would that be? It’s so impressive when it’s eight lanes running together.
“I love the tactics, the head to head, the mind games, reading other people in certain situations and what’s ahead of you. It’s a lot of fun.”
On hand to watch will be his wife and son, who has started shouting “dada” when he appears on TV, parents, in-laws and friends, creating what he calls “a home from home Games”.
This Games has been a long time coming, though. He was overlooked for Tokyo, despite being ranked world No1, his lack of selection making him ponder his future.
“There were times I was like, ‘Where do I go next?’,” he said. “I wanted to win another Olympic gold but hadn’t made it, and it was such a long wait until the next Games. There was a lot of cold, tough days of training ahead and no guarantee then I’m going to make the next Games.
“I didn’t know if I wanted to put myself through that again. I felt a bit of injustice, but time’s a healer and I think it proved a pivotal moment in my career.”
A change of coach to Olympic medallist Campbell Walsh, as well as the prospect of a new event, helped kick-start his return “to the extent I’m thinking about the next Games”.
Clarke thinks it is the tough times that have enabled him to bounce back.
Almost left blind at the age of 15 with an abscess behind his eye, he then contracted secondary meningitis. His consultant told him to take six months out of the water. He returned in three weeks — and has never looked back.
