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A NATIONAL SPORTS HERO Germany confers awards on athletes for national and international sports accomplishments, and Brendel is no stranger to accepting those honors. After the 2012 London Games, he was awarded the Silbernen Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf ), which is the highest honor bestowed on athletes by the national government. In 2015, he was named Champion of the Year.

Brendel also has 10 European titles and four second-place finishes in races from the C-4 200 meters to relays to the C-1 5,000 meters. The rangy 6-foot 4-inch canoe sprinter still competes with the KC Potsdam Club. Brendel, who will be 32 at the time of the 2020 Tokyo Games, is still going strong and should once again be a favorite to reach the medal podium while defending both of his Olympic titles.

Here is a video showing Sebastian Brendel’s technique in both training and competition. The German is the two-time defending Olympic champion in the C1 1,000 meters.

Sebastian Brendel • Germany Canoeing

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