MEET OUR NI ATHLETES

AFTON FITZHENRY

CANOE SPRINT

Afton was named on the Paddle UK World Class Programme for 2024, joining at Podium Potential level as her canoeing career continues to develop. 

Afton, from Lisburn, is now based in Nottingham for access to training at the National Water Sports Centre. As a youth she raced nationally as part of the Northern Ireland Sea Cadets and was then inspired to try out for the CANI Performance Squad. Following two years on the squad she was selected for the UK Sports’s London 2012 Legacy Talent Identification Programme, Girls4Gold.

Her career best achievements to date include sixth place in the C1 500m at the Poznan World Cup and bronze in the C1 200m at the 2018 European Under 23 Championships in Italy.

In 2022 Afton competed with Beth Gill in the women’s C2 500m, finishing sixth at the multisport European Championships in Munich. They also paddled at the World Championships in Canada, narrowly missing out on a place in the final.

AT A GLANCE

Hometown

Lisburn, County Antrim

Programme

Podium Potential

Coach

James Train

Favoured Discipline

Canoe Sprint

Club

Canoe Association of Northern Ireland

Training Location

National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham

JONATHAN YOUNG

PARACANOE

Jonny, from Belfast, has been a strong and consistent performer on the international paracanoe stage for almost a decade. He first competed in the men’s KL3 and VL3 events in 2014, making his debut at the European Championships in Brandenburg.

Since then, he has made the podium on numerous occasions in his career. Once the Paralympic boat classes were selected following the sport’s inclusion in Rio 2016, Jonny switched from va’a to kayak.

He enjoyed a great start to 2023, winning the opening World Cup in Szeged, and rounding off a successful campaign with a silver in Paris and also a KL3 silver at the World Championships. Jonny won KL3 bronze at the 2022 European Championships in Munich, and finished fourth at the 2022 Worlds in Canada. 

Before sustaining a spinal injury in 2012, Jonny was a multi-activity instructor, including kayaking, canoeing, climbing and skiing and had cycled across North America to raise money for charity. During his time at Stoke Mandeville he participated in the Inter Spinal Unit Games, competing in every sport available to him. He recognised the importance of sport in his rehabilitation and when discharged he focused on training to pursue a full time career in sport.

AT A GLANCE

Hometown

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Programme

Podium

Coach

Matt Lawrence

Favoured Discipline

Paracanoe

Club

Independent

Training Location

National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham

JAKE COCHRANE

CANOE SLALOM & KAYAK CROSS

Jake Cochrane began his canoeing journey in 2009, starting with an 8-week canoe/kayak course organized by his local scout group. After gaining experience kayaking with the scouts, he went on to become an instructor and was then introduced to canoe slalom through the CANI development squad system and Matt McKnight.

From 2012 to 2014, Jake's passion for canoe slalom grew as he trained regularly at Shaws Bridge and attended summer training camps abroad. In 2014, after finishing school, he decided to move to Nottingham to further his training at the whitewater facilities. 

Jake's international career began in 2015 at the U23 World Championships in Brazil, followed by his first senior World Championships in London the same year. Since then, he has competed as a member of the senior Irish canoe slalom team, steadily improving his results over the years. Notable achievements include 12th place at the 2020 European Championships and 24th place at the 2022 World Championships. He has also achieved numerous top 20 finishes at ICF World Cups, including a personal best of 10th place in the final of the 2022 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup.

Currently ranked 38th in the world, Jake narrowly missed qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games but remains focused on his goals. He aims to achieve a top 10 World Cup ranking for the season and to make it to the final at the European Championships in May.

Jake’s long-term goal remains to qualify for the Olympics and despite missing out on the 2024 Games, he remains dedicated to his dream with his sights set on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

ALISTAIR McCREERY

CANOE SLALOM & KAYAK CROSS

Alistair is an Irish canoe slalom and kayak x athlete competing in the K1 men's class. 

Alistair began kayaking recreationally in 2011 and soon discovered the slalom course at Shaw's Bridge in Belfast. After joining the training squad there, Alistair made his international debut in 2015 at the Junior World Championships in Brazil.

He competed as a junior and u23 athlete for several years, before making it on to the Irish senior team for the first time in 2018. Since then, he has travelled across Europe and further to train and compete and has qualified for several World Cup and European Championship semi-finals. 

Alistair has also competes in the exciting new Kayak X discipline, which will debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. At the 2023 European games, he finished 10th in the Kayak X event. 

He still enjoys paddling whitewater recreationally when his training schedule allows, and hopes that Kayak X can be a new pathway into competition for other paddlers and future athletes.