Fresh from gold and silver at the Australian Slalom Championships in Tasmania, three-time Olympian Warwick Draper is gunning for a record fourth Games.
The 39-year-old partnered fellow Victorian Alistair Anderson to win the C2 title on the Upper Mersey River last week and was narrowly defeated by West Australian Ben Pope in the K1.
"In the last couple of gates I was a little bit more conservative than what I should have been but to put down a clean run and come second at nationals, that is a solid effort," Draper said of the K1 result on Monday following his first competition in nearly a year.
"It is just nice to race again as I have not been in a big race for about 10 months so it is good to come and get a hit out with all the boys and second is okay."
Standing in his way of becoming the first canoe slalom paddler to represent Australia at four Olympics are world No. 3 Lucien Delfour and Victorian Jaxon Merritt.
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Draper admits he is a "long shot" to overcome the duo at selection events in Penrith next month.
"I am just trying to get myself as right as I can for racing and putting down those really strong runs to put myself in contention for it," he said.
"The guys are going super quick at the moment and I am definitely the long shot this time around.
"I have got a new boat and it is giving me a real boost and I have had a good training block. I am probably the fittest I have ever been."
But Draper knows he will have to improve to win the right to compete at Rio.
"I am going to give it everything I have got and I think that given where I am at there is a possibility I can bring my game up to that level so lets just wait and see."
