Kayak (K1) Men: preview facts

RIO DE JANEIRO - Jiri PRSKAVEC (CZE) will aim to give Czech Republic its first gold medal in a men's canoe slalom event, as he participates in the kayak (K1) men's competition which starts on 7 August at Whitewater Stadium.

• Jiri PRSKAVEC (CZE) is the current world and European champion and he can give Czech Republic its first gold medal in the men's K1.
• Vavrinec HRADILEK (CZE) claimed Czech Republic's only medal so far in this event as he grabbed silver at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
• The only athlete representing Czech Republic who has won Olympic gold medals in canoe slalom events is Stepanka HILGERTOVA (CZE), who won the women's kayak (K1) in 1996 and 2000.
• This will be PRSKAVEC's first participation at Olympic Games. His father who also goes by the name Jiri PRSKAVEC (CZE) competed in the K1 event at two Olympic Games, finishing in 19th place in Atlanta 1996 and taking 13th place in Sydney 2000.
• Two athletes won Olympic gold in K1 men as reigning world champion in this event: Siegbert HORN (GDR) in 1972 and Oliver FIX (GER) in 1996.
• Daniele MOLMENTI (ITA) will not be able to defend his gold medal from London, as Giovanni DE GENNARO (ITA) will compete for Italy in the men's K1.
• DE GENNARO won the world cup race in Ivrea on 4 June 2016 and he is one of nine athletes to have each won one of the last nine world cup races in kayak (K1) men.
• No previous winner of the event will be participate in Rio, which will raise the number of different winners to eight in eight Olympic Games.
• Germany is the only NOC to have won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in kayak (K1) men, with FIX in 1996 and Thomas SCHMIDT (GER) in 2000.
• Germany has won a total of three gold medals in kayak (K1) men, one more than Italy.
• Hannes AIGNER (GER) claimed bronze in this event in London 2012. Only two athletes have claimed multiple medals in this event: Pierpaolo FERRAZZI (ITA) won gold in 1992 and bronze in 2000, and Fabien LEFEVRE (FRA) claimed bronze in 2004 and silver in 2008.
• Peter KAUZER (SLO) won the world title in 2009 and 2011 and he will aim for his first Olympic medal in Rio.
• Jakub GRIGAR (SVK) will try to win the first medal for Slovakia in this event. He won the world under-23 title in kayak (K1) men on 16 July 2016.
• GRIGAR will be 19 years and 105 days old on the day of the final, 10 August, and he can become the youngest medallist in this event and the second youngest in all canoe slalom events after Michal MARTIKAN (SVK), who won gold in the men's canoe single (C1) in 1996 at the age of 17 years and 70 days.