A CLIPPED penultimate gate cost Liam Jegou a silver medal in the Canoe Slalom C! final.
The Clare man squeezed into the Olympic semi-finals in 16th and last place but progressed to the final as sixth fastest.
And Jegou was on course for a fine finish until he picked up a two-second penalty for hitting the second-last gate.
When all other competitors had finished, it transpired that – without that penalty – he would have finished second.
But Jegou said: “I had a blast. That’s the best paddling I’ve produced in probably a year or two.
“I’m delighted that I put it down on the day that it counted, it was a really competitive run.”
“It’s tough right now but I had to go for it and finish up strong.
“It’s the slightest touch that puts me out of the medals but it’s such a privilege and honour to be in the fight for the medals.
“It’s what we all dream of and today I was almost there.”
Jegou had come 15th in Tokyo and he will be back in action later in the week in the new Kayak Cross event.