Ex-Olympic kayaker Nathan Baggaley jailed for more than two years over drug charges

A dual Olympic silver medallist who pressed almost 20,000 party pills he thought were legal and bungled attempts to cook methamphetamine has been jailed for more than two years.

Former kayaker Nathan Baggaley, whose career unravelled in 2005 when he was banned for taking steroids, stood emotionless at Sydney's District Court this afternoon as he and younger brother Dru Baggaley were punished for manufacturing drugs.

The Baggaley brothers had both earlier pleaded guilty to producing more than 18,000 2CB tablets in 2013 and conspiring to make about 100g of ice.

The court heard the duo didn't realise 2CB was outlawed soon after they started making it, and never ended up selling the drugs so didn't turn a profit.

Judge Leonie Flannery said it was also clear their bid to manufacture methamphetamine by cooking pseudoephedrine had failed.

Judge Flannery said she thought the brothers displayed good prospects of rehabilitation, were unlikely to reoffend and had shown genuine remorse.

However, she said the pair were "high-level" participants in a plot to make the marketable quantities of 2CB and ice.

Judge Flannery said the crimes were aggravated by the fact Nathan was on parole and Dru still in custody at the time of their offending.

The pair were jailed in 2009 for manufacturing and supplying large numbers of ecstasy tablets.

"I consider that no penalty other than imprisonment is appropriate," Judge Flannery said on Friday.

Both men were jailed for at least two years and three months.

The Baggaley brothers' parents were in court on previous occasions but did not attend to see them sentenced on Friday.

Nathan Baggaley will be eligible for parole in November and Dru could be released in July.