McKeever storms to 200m world gold in Poland

GREAT Britain's Ed McKeever has added the K1 200m world title to his European crown with a blistering victory in Poland.

GOLDEN BOY: Ed McKeever lays down a formidable marker ahead of London 2012 with world gold over 200m - the new Olympic event (British Canoeing)

McKeever cruised home in 34.807 seconds, taking gold by 0.348, ahead of nearest rival Ronald Rauhe, while Poland's Piotr Siemionowski took bronze.

The 200m race will make its Olympic debut at London 2012 and 26-year-old McKeever has already laid down a formidable marker with less than two years to go.

Meanwhile, Rachel Cawthorn clinched bronze in the K1 500m race, repeating her feat of finishing third at the European Championships.

And fellow Brits Liam Heath and Jon Schofield also made their way onto the podium, taking gold in the K2 200m final.

Cawthorn crossed the finishing line in 50.929 as gold went to Ukraine's Inna Osypenko-Radomska.

But Olympic champion Tim Brabants, who secured an impressive K1 1000m silver medal on Saturday, having recently returned from a near two-year absence from the sport, had to settle for fourth in the K1 500m.

The 500m is no longer an Olympic event however and Brabants will be focusing all his attentions on defending his 1000m crown at London 2012.

Cawthorn meanwhile, is the European champion over 1000m but that event will not be at London 2012 so will be making her Olympic bid in the 500m.