When Adam Burgess claimed silver in the canoe slalom at the Paris Olympics, his celebrations became an enduring image of the Games. The Staffordshire-born star is a Stoke City FC supporter, a Black Sabbath fan and a qualified coffee-brewer — here, he talks to The Journey about his path to canoeing fame.
You’ve been competing internationally for more than 15 years. How did you first get into the sport?
An opportunity came up at my middle school for a small group of kids to start at Stafford & Stone Canoe Club. I didn’t get my permission slip back in time, but someone dropped out six weeks in and my form tutor asked if anyone wanted to take their place. I can still remember that simple act of raising my hand. I was one of those kids who was always curious about new things. Since starting at the canoe club I’ve never looked back — I just love the freedom and feeling of being on the water. I’ve been doing it for over 20 years now and there’s still so much to learn.
What was your Paris build-up like?
We were fortunate in that selection for the Games was done over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, so I already knew in November last year that I’d been selected and could prepare for that one day at the end of July. We worked hard on peaking at the right time. You have to trust the process, and the taper, and sure enough I was on the start line feeling great.
I’m a big believer in the power of breathwork — I’m a breath science practitioner on the side and used the biomechanics of breathing to help to get over a shoulder injury that I had back in 2017. My warm-up these days is largely based around breath, so in those final few moments before the race I was really trying to keep an even inhale-exhale ratio and a relaxed posture.
How did it feel to make the podium, particularly after just missing out on a medal at the Tokyo Olympics?
It was such a special moment when I crossed that finish line. A lot of people have reached out and said how much they enjoyed seeing the expression on my face. Ah man, it was just sheer joy and elation. After Tokyo, the last few years have been tough — I’ve woken up in the night sometimes, thinking about it. It’s been a journey, and it just felt so good to finally get on that Olympic podium.
Away from your own sport, what were the Olympic moments that you found the most inspirational?
I thought the lead climbing on TV was amazing, really exciting to watch, and I also loved the skateboarding. We have a very supportive culture in canoe slalom, but the camaraderie between the skateboarders was next level — it really showed Olympic values at their best, particularly friendship. I was watching the diving and rowing in the mornings before I was competing, so seeing British medals being won there was really inspiring. Being part of the Games was just such a great overall experience. I’ve never raced in front of a crowd like that before. It was insane. I’m already looking ahead to the LA Games in 2028, and certainly thinking about that gold medal.
What do you remember about your formative outdoor experiences?
I was part of the Scouts and my parents were always taking us out on walking holidays in places like the Lake District and the New Forest. I grew up not far from the Peak District so I was quite often up there too. I’ve always been one of those kids who loved climbing and outdoor sports, and I think that’s still why I have so much love for real rivers. We paddle on a lot of artificial courses, but if we do get the opportunity to race on real rivers I take it with both hands. It’s the roots of our sport.
What experience do you have of staying in YHA hostels?
When I first started travelling down to the Lee Valley White Water Centre for training, YHA London Lee Valley was the base we operated from. I was younger then, so it was a lot of fun staying in the bunk rooms with my teammates, and being able to cook there was really handy too. Being based so close to the White Water Centre was brilliant — there’s so much legacy associated with it and it’s so accessible to the public. There’s an activity there for everyone, whether that’s rafting, or activities on the lake, or even just going there to enjoy some drinks on the terrace and watch some sport on the whitewater course. It’s a really special place..
All photos on page 12/13 © Garry Bowden — Sport In Pictures
