Abu Dhabi paddler Mike Ballard takes podium at Pan Am Canoe Dash Championships

Mike Ballard He hopes to finish his first month as a full-time kayaker with a podium finish at the Pan American Canoe Sprint Championships.

The Abu Dhabi-based paddler competes in the event in Nova Scotia with runners from North, Central and South America. He will play in the final of six at KL2 on Wednesday.

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Ballard is familiar with his opponents, as they both played in last week’s World Championships at the same venue.

Ballard withdrew from the event in the semifinals, with Argentina’s Ariel Atamanuk dominating the game.

Atamanuk is the clear favorite for the Pan Am champions, but Ballard wants to challenge other areas.

“It’s a local derby and a world record speed is much less likely [than at the World Championships],” Ballard said.

“If I can catch up with the Uruguayans it means I have a really good race, if I catch up with Canada it means I can get on the podium. It’s a big ask but we will see.”

The trip to Canada is his first assignment after Ballard resigned from his job at a school in the UAE capital last month.

The Michigan-born kayaker is now fully committed to fulfilling his dream of competing in the Paris Paralympics.

“What I need is consistency, continuity and structure,” Ballard said. “For me, my training environment in Abu Dhabi is perfect.”

His eyes have been widened, seeing the benefit of having greater flexibility in time.

He was able to stop midway on a 2,000km road trip from Michigan to Nova Scotia and train for a week with new friends he made at an event in Poland.

After leaving that event, he joined the Canadian team to talk to them after delays at the airport.

World silver medalist Brianna Hennessey invited him to train at her hometown Ottawa River Canoe Club, en route to Nova Scotia.

“It’s an unexpectedly ingrained paddling culture,” Ballard said.

“It’s part of the Canadian fabric, especially in Nova Scotia. Every club I’ve been to, 100 kids are on the water every day.

“From those philosophical chats I had to do, I really had homework to do.

“Now that I’m becoming a full-time kayaker, I’m looking forward to doing all these things. It’s so big and exciting in a paddling community.

“I plan to use some of what I’ve learned to build my own project in Abu Dhabi. That week was the most rewarding part of the whole journey.”

Updated: August 9, 2022 at 5:05 pm