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Whitewater churns into foam as double-ended paddles windmill one-person boats into position. The paddles go up in the air as the boats slide through red or green gates, then the furious wind milling begins again.For a sport that doesnt get the attention of some of the more well-known ones, whitewater canoe and kayak has plenty of action and drama.A few things to look for in whitewater canoe/kayak at the Rio Olympics next month:THE LOWDOWN: The four canoe/kayak slalom events will be held Aug. 7-11, with medals award the final three days. Men compete in single and double canoe, along with kayak. Women compete in kayak only. The races will take place at the Whitewater Stadium in Deodoro on a steep 250-meter course that has between 18 and 25 gates. Green gates are negotiated with the current, red against it. Paddlers are assessed a two-second penalty for hitting a gate and 50 seconds for missing one completely.EUROPEAN DOMINANCE: European countries have dominated the sport since its inception at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and show no signs of letting loose of their stranglehold. In mens canoe slalom (C1), European counties have won every medal but one since the 1992 Barcelona Games, when the sport was put back into the Olympic program after a 20-year absence. Europe has accounted for all but one medal in kayak (K1) and 16 of 18 medals in two-person canoe (C2) during that span. Women have had a little better chance breaking through the European stronghold, with paddlers from the U.S. and Australia combining for six of the 18 medals since Barcelona.AMERICAN MEN: The United States team has two paddlers with solid chances to earn medals in Rio. Kayaker Michal Smolen, who emigrated from Poland as a child, was unable to compete at the 2012 London Games due to a delay getting his his citizenship, but should make a strong run to the podium this time around. Smolen earned bronze at the 2015 world championships and has times that compare to the best paddlers in the world. Not bad for someone who was terrified of the water when he first started kayaking at 8. Canoeist Casey Eichfield will be competing in his third straight Olympics and will try to pull off a double, competing in C1 and C2 with Devin McEwan. Eichfield finished fourth at world championships and was in the top 15 his previous two Olympics.NEES RELIEF: Womens kayaker Ashley Nee had a rough road to her first Olympics. She qualified for the 2008 Beijing Games, but injured a shoulder during a test event and wasnt able to completely recover in time for the Olympic trials, finishing fourth. Nee had enough points to qualify for the 2012 London Games, but was edged out by Caroline Queen on a tiebreaker. Nee won the Olympic trials this May, yet still didnt have a spot secured; she had to await a decision by the International Canoe Federation to award the United States an additional athlete quota spot. Now at 27, shes headed to her first Olympics.C1 OPENING: Mens single canoe has been dominated by two paddlers the past five Olympics: Michal Martikan of Slovakia and Frances Tony Estanguet. Starting with the 1996 Atlanta Games, those two won every gold medal in C1; three by Estanguet and two by Martikan. There will be a different champion in Rio after Estanguet retired and Martikan, the only canoe slalomist to win five Olympic gold medals, failed to make the Slovakian team for Rio.KEEP AN EYE ON: Kayaker Jiri Prskavec of the Czech Republic is the type of paddler who could be uncatchable if hes on his game. His father, Jiri, was a two-time Olympian and the younger Prskavec has a chance to make bigger waves in Rio. He was the 2015 world champion and has five medals in world championship competition. Fake Diamondbacks Jerseys . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. Diamondbacks Jerseys China . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. https://www.cheapdiamondbacksjerseys.us/ . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. Arizona Diamondbacks Pro Shop . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. Diamondbacks Jerseys 2020 . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed.Thierry Henry has described the level of expectation at Valencia as not normal following the sacking of Gary Neville. The former Manchester United defender took over at the Spanish club - his first full-time managerial role - in December, but was axed this week after only four months in charge.He enjoyed only 10 wins in 28 games - including a nine-game win-less streak in La Liga - and the club are currently only six points above the relegation zone. But Henry, who won two La Liga titles with Barcelona, felt the club and its supporters put unrealistic demands on Neville.The level of expectation at Valencia is not normal, he told Sky Sports.Its not normal because their fans and the press over there expect that team to be battling with Real Madrid and Barcelona when we all know they are not in that bracket yet.Thats where he was going. He was going to a team where if you dont play good football and you dont wain straight away, the fans are going to have a little go at you. After being sacked as Valencia manager, we look back at Gary Nevilles time in Spain During his time in charge, Neville guided Valencia to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and produced a thumping 10-0 aggregate win over Rapid Vienna in the Europa League.ddddddddddddBut after finishing fourth last season, Henry felt the supporters demanded better results in the Spanish league.I think its difficult, he added. Skys Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague, gives an insight into why Valencia sacked Gary Neville as their manager When you look at his overall stats, its 10 wins and 11 defeats, which is not that bad. Its just that in the league it didnt happen for him.Valencia is a big club with a big stadium and big fans, but the level of expectation sometimes doesnt match the team that they have.It was always going to be difficult for him. Also See: Bale backs Neville Nevilles Valencia story Nevilles reign in quotes Balague on Neville ' ' '