The ICF/IOC have announced that the Olympic programme will now include 200m racing. Out goes mens 500m racing! This is a masive change to make with just 3 years to go and it will be very interesting to see how it all pans out. The physiological demands of the two races are now significantly different meaning we can expect different people on the podiums rather than the same old faces which must be a good thing.

As far as the situation at home goes, the guys will have to decide early on which event to go for, training plans will no longer overlap to the same extent so different training groups will have to be run by different coaches. Some guys will find themselves hunting for places when previuously they were relatively safe. The performance department is going to have to go back to some previously sacked athletes and its established list of "favorites" may have to be revised.

Also with the training demands in term of time and quantity reduced for the 200m I am sure there will be some new faces who fancy their chances and may even be able to compete from outside the Performance System. This has to be good news for all those on the outside who feel the "System" is destroying the rest of canoeing.

Personally I find the 200m a bit dull compared to the 500m as it does away with the differing race plans. Watching someone try to hold onto a lead in the 500 having gone out too fast was always entertaining and ultimately the finishes are just as close on the longer race. However talking to those outside the sport it seems it is the 200m that catches their attention so maybe this is a move in the right direction. The downside to me is that if the IOC insist on keeping the number of athletes down then by dividing the two races to this extent will only leave very few competitors in each distance. At least with the 500/1000 divide there wrere a lot of people who could double up and keep the numbers high