For Carlos Garcia of Oklahoma City, the 2012 National Team Trials will be his last one before he is eligible to compete for the United States. Garcia was a national champion kayaker in Cuba. He defected from Cuba during the 2010 Pan American games in Mexico City, leaving his teammates behind and escaping to the United States.
He came to Oklahoma City because Shaun Caven was coaching here.
On Saturday, Garcia and his boat partner, the Israeli-born Rami Zur of Newport, Calif., captured first place in both the finals of the men's K2 200 meters and 1,000 meters.
Zur, 35, has represented both Israel (2000) and the United States (2004, 2008) in the Olympics.
“The first time I met (Garcia) was here (this weekend),” Zur said. “He Facebooked me, asked me if I wanted to paddle K2. I said, ‘Sure, why not.' I'm flying all the way from California. I train five months, regardless of the Olympics or not. I'm a competitor. I like to race. I enjoy it, and if I have an opportunity to jump in a boat, sure, why not?”
On Saturday, Garcia and his boat partner, the Israeli-born Rami Zur of Newport, Calif., captured first place in both the finals of the men's K2 200 meters and 1,000 meters.
Zur, 35, has represented both Israel (2000) and the United States (2004, 2008) in the Olympics.
“The first time I met (Garcia) was here (this weekend),” Zur said. “He Facebooked me, asked me if I wanted to paddle K2. I said, ‘Sure, why not.' I'm flying all the way from California. I train five months, regardless of the Olympics or not. I'm a competitor. I like to race. I enjoy it, and if I have an opportunity to jump in a boat, sure, why not?”
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