Kids Go for Gold on Oklahoma River

By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Some Oklahoma City youth could be paddling their way to the Olympics. They're taking lessons from a former national kayaking champ from Great Britain.

On a sunny, Saturday morning, the Oklahoma River is busting with activity including a group of metro youth beginning their kayak training.

"I've been kayaking for over three decades so I've been doing this for a long time," said Chesapeake Boathouse Kayak Coach and former Olympic Coach Shaun Caven.

Caven came to Oklahoma to train young people. He's looking to build his program with youth age 8 to 18. He said the Oklahoma River is a perfect place to train and compete.

"The ultimate goal is to provide some Olympians from Oklahoma for U.S.A. for the future 2012, 2016," Caven said.

Coach Caven sees Olympic hopefuls in this group including 9-year-old Bria Cornforth who is a natural on the water.

"I didn't like to play basketball or any of that and I like water so I tried this out and I got good at it," Bria said.

She's already won two gold medals in local kayak races against girls older than her. Besides going for the gold, these kids are having fun and getting in shape.

"It's a whole body workout. People don't think it's a whole body workout but it works your abs and your upper arms and your thighs too," said Dylan Puckett, who is learning to kayak.

Now it's just a matter of time before Coach Caven's Oklahoma River dream becomes a reality.

"You can build a program from scratch and the facilities and the vision you've got here for the future is massive," Caven said.