Norwegian kayaker Jon Amund Vold showed tremendous courage to clinch his first gold medal on the international stage since winning his fight against cancer.
Vold secured the men’s kayak single 5000m crown on the final day of the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Cup in Szeged, Hungary.
It was an emotional victory for Vold whose world turned upside down in 2019 when he was diagnosed with Leukaemia.
“I wasn’t prepared for taking home the gold,” said Vold who triumphed in 21:28.61.
“It’s been a long time since I won a World Cup gold which was in 2019 when I was 21 years old.
“That was a breakthrough for me as it was my second or third season as a senior.
“Later that year, I got blood cancer and it’s been six years working my way back.
“Finally today I was on top of the podium.”
Vold’s cancer diagnoses dashed his hopes of making selection for the Olympic Games in Tokyo and his career was put on hold.
He went through chemotherapy before undergoing a bone marrow transplant with his older brother Lars Christian Vold as a donor.
“I was just fighting for survival during that whole Autumn and Christmas,” said Vold.
“The cancer was more aggressive than they thought.
“They thought they could get rid of it just by treating me with chemotherapy but after some tests they found that didn’t work well and they had to give me this bone marrow transplant.
“It depends what shape you are in but the survival rate is not that good.
“Fortunately my older brother was a donor for me, he matched my tissue.
“He was a really good match and saved my life.
“I actually have his blood in my body as I don’t have my old blood. He was with me on the podium today.”
Vold added: “First and foremost, it’s a really good thing that the cancer is behind me and I can close that chapter.
“Now I am back and hopefully I can get more medals.”
Portugal’s Fernando Pimenta was the next to cross the finish line in 21:38.91 for silver, while Hungary’s Balint Noe earned bronze in 21:39.75.
Spanish rising star upstages Olympic champion to win gold in Szeged
In the Olympic events, Viktoriia Yarchevska produced a fearless performance to strike gold in the women’s canoe single 200m.
The 20-year-old paddler, who previously represented Ukraine before competing for Spain for the first time in 2023, underlined her burgeoning talent with a stunning victory.
Reigning Olympic champion Katie Vincent of Canada was among the field but it was Yarchevska who stole the show.
Yarchevska got off to a flying start and stayed in front, upstaging her rivals to win gold in 49.02.
Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) Ekaterina Shliapnikova sealed silver in 49.83, while Poland’s Katarzyna Szperkiewicz clinched bronze in 49.92, edging out Vincent by 0.01.
“I feel very good, I’m very excited to do this race,” said Yarchevska.
“My plan was start and finish strongly but I surprised myself.
“I’m very excited.”
Moreno and Dominguez deliver more joy for Spain
Yarchevska’s gold on Sunday followed Spain’s superb victory in the women’s kayak four 500m on Saturday.
Spain added another gold when Olympic bronze medallists Joan Antoni Moreno and Diego Dominguez clinched the men’s canoe double 500m title in 1:46.68.
It was a Spanish one-two as Daniel Grijalba and Adrian Sieiro finished strongly to take silver in 1:46.79, missing out on gold by just 0.11.
AIN paddlers Zakhar Petrov and Ivan Shtyl claimed bronze in 1:47.45.
“It’s a great result for us,” said Dominguez.
“It’s a difficult first year after the Olympics but we put in the work.
“In Spain, we have a good level and it’s very quick.
“Sometimes it is more difficult competing in Spain than in the World Cups and World Championships.
“We had to battle with Daniel and Adrian, and we won today.”
Kurucz and Opavszky roared on to victory by home fans
Hosts Hungary were celebrated another gold this weekend when Levente Kurucz and Mark Opavszky crossed the line first in the men’s K2 500m final.
Portugal’s Joao Ribeiro and Messias Baptista got off to lightning quick start before beign tracked down by the Hungarians.
As the volume from the home fans increased, Kurucz and Opavszky started to pulled away.
They sealed victory in 1:36.93 as Spain’s Enrique Adan and Carlos Garcia Ruiz enjoyed a strong end to the race from lane nine to seal silver in 1:37.66 and Poland’s Jakub Stepun and Jaroslaw Kajdanek bagged bronze in 1:39.47.
Polish pair beat Danish duo in K2 thriller
There was a two-way tussle for top spot in the women’s kayak double 500m final as Poland and Denmark battled it out.
Denmark’s Frederikke Hauge Matthiesen and Sara Corfixsen Milthers did all they could from lane nine only for Poland’s Martyna Klatt and Sandra Ostrowska to emerge victorious in 1:48.86.
Matthiesen and Milthers claimed silver in 1:49.18 as Hungary’s Noemi Pupp and Sara Fojt, the Olympic bronze medallists, grabbed bronze in 1:50.11.
All the results from today’s races can be found here.
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