Neighbors rally behind Olympic canoeist training in Florida canals

SO FAR FRENCH AUTHORITIES HAVE PROMISED THE GAMES WILL BE SAFE THIS SUMMER. TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPICS RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. THE GAMES ARE NOW LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AWAY. AND ONE MAN IS GETTING HIS REPS IN. >> IN CAPE CORAL CANALS AND THE HOPE OF MAKING IT TO HIS 3RD ROUND OF GAMES. NBC TWO'S RACHEL WHALEN CAUGHT UP WITH THE OLYMPIAN WHOSE HOPING TO GO FOR GOLD. >> CAN OWLS FLAGS AND REFUGEES. WHAT DO THESE ALL HAVE IN COMMON WITH ONE ANOTHER? WELL, I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU A STORY THAT YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS HAPPENING IN CAPE CORAL. >> CAPE CORAL'S, 400 MILES OF CANALS IS HOME TO ALL KINDS OF CREATURES. ALL FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR LANAI. YOU CAN SEE ALLIGATORS, MANATEES OR EVEN A DOLPHIN IF YOU'RE LUCKY. BUT IN SOUTHEAST CAPE NEIGHBORS ARE SEEING SOMETHING THEY NEVER EXPECTED. DID YOU EVER THINK LIVING IN CAPE CORAL YOU WOULD SEE OLYMPIC ATHLETE PRACTICE IN BACK DOOR? ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS FERNANDO, JORGE, AND HE'S AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION. CANOEIST. >> THE CUBAN NATIVE COMPETED IN THE RIO OLYMPICS AND WON GOLD IN TOKYO IN JULY. FERNANDO WILL BE THE FIRST CUBAN TO EVER COMPETE ON THE REFUGEE OLYMPIC TEAM. WANT TO GO TO ME. I MY STORY IS A LITTLE COMPLICATED. HAD TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO LEAVE MY COUNTRY BECAUSE OF A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THERE ON THE PARLIAMENT, AND LAST IS COMING FOR YOU SAY. >> AND SO IN 2021, I CAME TO THE U.S. AND I LIVED IN MIAMI FOR 2 YEARS. AND THEN I MOVED TO CAPE CORAL HIGH, KNOWING AND MIAMI IT >> ONE I THINK GORDON. >> TODAY WE WROTE ALONGSIDE FERNANDO'S FIRST TRAINING SESSION OF THE DAY, A BRISK 10 KILOMETER PADDLE AFTER THIS. WE'LL HAVE THE GYM THEN COME BACK FOR ANOTHER NEW SESSION. THAT'S A SCHEDULE. 5 DAYS A MY GOSH TO RETIRE. >> ALWAYS TIRED. HE ACTUALLY STOPPED. ABOUT TO START A RACE AND THE CLOTHES SCREEN GO. AND HE JUST ALL MY GOD. I THINK I COULD STILL WITH OUT WATCHING FERNANDO TRAINED, BRING SO MUCH JOY TO JUAN ORTIZ LOPEZ. HE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR HIM. >> SO HE BOUGHT ALL THESE FLAGS AND CONVINCE NEIGHBORS TO HANG THEM UP AT THEIR DOCKS. HE SAYS WHEN FERNANDO FIRST SAW THEM, HE GOT EMOTIONAL. HE JUST CAME DOWN. HE KIND OF STOPPED. HE WOULD JUST GLIDING AND LOOK AT HIM. AND SHOW WHEN THEN WHEN HE GOT BACK, HE TAKES A MISSING MAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IN THE WHITE HAT. IT WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. MY WHAT DO YOU LIKE A LOT. >> AND I FEEL LOVED BY ALL THE PEOPLE TRAINING AND THEY'RE SUPPORTING ME. >> WITH EACH PADDLE, FERNANDA TAKES THE CLOSER HE GETS