Britain's Ed McKeever stormed to gold in the 200m kayak sprint at Eton Dorney on Saturday morning.

Dubbed "the Usain Bolt of the water", a moniker he said he was "more willing" to accept after the race, the 28-year-old from Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, led from the start.

He powered over the line ahead of Spaniard Saul Craviotto Rivero and Canadian Mark de Jonge, punching the air and splashing the water after he crossed the line in 36.246 seconds, a slower time than his earlier rounds as a result of a slight headwind.

Ed said he woke up on the morning of the race at 5am "like a kid at Christmas wanting to open my presents".

"I am going to get that present in a minute," he told reporters before his medal ceremony.

He admitted he thought he might struggle with the headwind, adding: "Because I am one of the lighter guys I am more affected by the wind.

"I was kind of out clean (off the start line) and just held on. I am just so happy. I am just so happy that I can contribute to the medals table. I haven't actually seen many other sports. It's literally been canoeing, canoeing, canoeing."

Asked how he was feeling as he crossed the line, Ed said: "Just relief. It sounds strange. Not elation, more relief and so happy I could do it in front of the home crowd - it's brilliant."