Brazil claimed two gold medals on day one of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championship in Milan after four nations shared the early titles in the paracanoeing event.
Caio Ribeiro De Carvalho (BRA) won the Men’s VL3 200m final, stealing victory from Britain’s Jonathan Young after a summoning a powerful surge on the line.
“When I kicked at the end I looked and realised when I had crossed first it was more than overwhelming,” said the Brazilian afterwards.
“I was keeping my head straight because I was very upset that the Va-a was taken out of the Paralympics; it really broke my heart."
“Last year I lost my title and I was focussed on getting my title back, so thank you Brazil. This is for Brazil.”
His compatriot Luis C Cardoso Da Silva, who is concentrating hard on developing his kayak skills in a bid to make the team for next year’s Rio Games, showed he is still a force to be reckoned with in the non-Paralympic Va-a after winning the men’s VL1 200m title.
“I am very happy because last year I won this race so it was good to win it again,” he said.
“I haven’t improved the Va-a too much since last year because my goal is the Paralympic Games in Rio for kayak so I train a lot in kayak, but I am still very happy for this win.”
It was gold and silver for Britain in the women’s KL2 200m final, with Emma Wiggs leading in her training partner Nicola Paterson. Wiggs, who a year ago in the Moscow Worlds won golds in the K1 and V1 competitions, finished today almost a second and a half up on Paterson.
“Today was all about qualifying a Great Britain boat for Rio, so it’s not about individual performances,” said Wiggs.
But I’m absolutely delighted with my performance and my teammate Nikki came in a fraction behind me for second is just the icing on the cake.
I get to train with her every day so I know we are neck and neck. She’s a phenomenal athlete and it’s lucky that we can push each other so we can be on top of the world.
The day’s other two finals were won by Anja Pierce, an American who previous to today’s women’s VL3 200m final had won a silver and bronze in this competition, and Poland’s Katarzyna Leskiewicz who took gold in the women’s VL1 200m.
Elsewhere Australian Curtis McGrath qualified direct for the finals in his two competitions after producing the fastest times in both events’ heats. He finished his VL2 200m in 53.120 seconds, some 1.285 ahead of Spaniard Javier Refa.
Then in the KL2 200 he won again his heat 42.839 seconds, just 0.012 ahead of five times gold medallist Markus Mendy Swoboda from Austria. There was no disputing who the winner was in this afternoon’s semifinals with Swoboda crossing the line more than four seconds up on Dejan Fabcic of Slovenia.
“My heat was a bit of a problem but the semifinal I used to get more rhythm for the race, so it was really nice to be so far in the front like I used to,” he said afterwards.
Swoboda used to compete in both the Va-a and the Kayak, but has selected to focus on the Kayak this season ahead of its Paralympic debut in Rio.
“It’s a pity for other V1 athletes who were preparing only for the V1 events but I’m lucky to come from the K1 events,” he admitted.
“So I was so happy when they changed it to the K1. It does make the competition harder hard and Curtis won my heat this morning. It was pretty close but he was in front, and that makes the competition a lot harder I’m happy about it.”
Men’s VL1 200m
1. Luis C.Cardoso Da Silva (BRA) 57.912
2. Jakub Tokarz (POL) 58.639
3. Robert Suba (HUN) 1:02.919
Men’s VL3 200m
1. Caio Ribeiro De Carvalho (BRA) 50.656
2. Jonathan Young (GBR) 51.058
3. Daniel Geri (HUN) 52.311
Women’s VL1 200m
1. Emma Wiggs (GBR) 53.023
2.Nicola Paterson (GBR) 54.521
3. Susan Seipel (AUS) 55.616
Women’s VL3 200m
1. Anja PIERCE (USA) 1:02.536
2. Frances BATEMAN (GBR) 1:03.208
3. Aline SOUZA LOPES (BRA) 1:05.432
Women’s VL1 200m
1. Katarzyna Leskiewicz (POL) 1:15.299
2. Ann Yoshida (USA) 1:18.539
(non-world championship event)
