DOCTOR TIM'S REALITY CHECK-UP

TIM BRABANTS was bracing himself for the real world last night after savouring the high life as an Olympic champion.

The qualified doctor added a bronze medal in the single kayak 500 metres final to the gold he won on Friday in the 1,000m — but soon he must swap his paddle for a stethoscope.

First he must relearn some of his medical skills while he works for nothing and then he has the task of finding himself a day job.

Brabants, 31, said: “I will go back to work for 18 months — so it’s back into the real world.

“I’ve got to try to find a career. I’ve been out of it for two years so I can’t go straight back into it. I will have to work for free for a couple of months and get my skills back so I am competent enough for work.”

It will mean having to sacrifice some of his £24,000-a-year lottery funding, but for Brabants saving lives will become just as important to him as collecting medals.

Then he will decide whether to defend his title at London 2012.

He has not ruled out switching into a rowing boat when the Games come to our capital.

Brabants was edged out of the silver medal place by 0.04sec.

Australian gold medal winner Ken Wallace clocked 1min 37.252sec and silver went to Adam van Koerverden of Canada in 1:37.630.

The Briton was certain he had finished second when his name was initially flashed up on the scoreboard as runner–up.

Satisfied

But the photo-finish reversed that decision and his time was given as 1:37.671.

He said: “I saw it come up as second but it’s still a medal and I’m satisfied with that.

“I came to these Olympics looking for two medals — one of them gold — and that’s what I’ve done.

“The 1,000 metres was the one I really wanted to win. Today I was a lot more physically and mentally jaded than I was on Friday so I have to be pleased for what has been a fantastic Olympics.”

Britain’s Lucy Wainwright finished seventh in the single kayak 500 metres final.