British canoeist David Florence challenged the world champions from France and Slovakia in Beijing on Tuesday, saying that anything can happen in slalom races of the Beijing Olympic Games.

"It's canoe slalom and anything can happen," he said in the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.

On his main rivals, the British canoeist said: "In my event the C1, at the moment Tony Estanguet (France) and Machal Martiikan (Slovakia) are the two strongest guys in the world."

However, he said that he feels good up to now and has some expectations for his performance in the Beijing Olympic Games.

"I feel pretty good. I've been here quite a lot so I've had a chance to train here. I quite enjoy it," he said, adding: "If I put down two good runs, I'm certainly capable of getting a medal."

The 26-year-old canoeist also said that he has been busying training and is trying to train a higher volume.

Florence came out the fifth in the 2007 World Championship in Brazil and won the gold medal in a World Cup contest in Augsburg of Germany in 2006.

He started recreational canoeing in 1996 before racing his first slalom in K1 in April 1997. He then switched to C1 one year later.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2008)