RIO DE JANEIRO - Preview facts for the canoe sprint events that start on Friday 19 August at Lagoa Stadium: men's canoe double (C2) 1000m, men's kayak single (K1) 200m, men's kayak four (K4) 1000m and women's kayak four (K4) 500m.
Men's canoe double C2 1000m
Reigning world champions Erlon DE SOUZA SILVA (BRA) and Isaquias QUEIROZ DOS SANTOS (BRA) are aiming to add Olympic gold in the men's C2 1000m at Rio 2016.
DE SOUZA SILVA and QUEIROZ DOS SANTOS won the world title in the men's C2 1000m in 2015.
Coming into Rio 2016, Brazil had not claimed a single medal in any canoe sprint event (men and women). QUEIROZ DOS SANTOS (BRA) but claimed silver in the men's C1 1000m event on Tuesday.
DE SOUZA SILVA and QUEIROZ DOS SANTOS could become the first reigning world champions to win Olympic gold in this event since Ingo SPELLY (GER) and Ulrich PAPKE (GER) at Barcelona 1992.
Robert MIKE (HUN) and Henrik VASBANYAI (HUN) finished on the podium in six of the last seven world and European championships, only failing to do so at the 2015 European championships when they did not participate. They won the world title in 2013 and the European title in 2014.
Hungary has claimed seven medals in this event at the Olympic Games, but none of them gold: S1-B6.
Only Romania (8) and Soviet Union (8) have collected more medals in this event than Hungary (7) and Germany (7).
Germany has won medals in this event at the last six olympic Games - gold (1992, 1996, 2004 and 2012), silver (2008) and bronze (2000).|
Men's kayak single K1 200m
Mark DE JONGE (CAN) is aiming to win his first Olympic gold medal in the men's K1 200m.
DE JONGE won the world title in the men's K1 200m at the last two world championships in 2014 and 2015 and claimed bronze in this event at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Coming into Rio 2016, only Adam VAN KOEVERDEN (CAN) and Caroline BRUNET (CAN) have won multiple medals for Canada in a single canoe sprint event at the Olympic Games.
Petter MENNING (SWE) finished on the podium in this event at each of the last three world championships: first in 2013, second in 2014 and third in 2015.
Sweden's last medal at the Olympic Games in canoe sprint was in 2004, when it won gold in the men's K2 1000m, coming into the Rio Games.
The last time Sweden won a medal in an individual event in this sport was at Los Angeles 1984 when Lars-Erik MOBERG (SWE) claimed silver in men's K1 500m and Agneta ANDERSSON (SWE) won gold in women's K1 500m.
Saul CRAVIOTTO (ESP) claimed silver in the men's K1 200m in 2012 and won gold in the men's K2 500m at Beijing 2008. He could become the third male athlete representing Spain with three or more medals in canoe sprint events, after David CAL (ESP, 5) and Herminio MENENDEZ (ESP, 3).
Only CAL managed to win a medal at three different Olympic Games for Spain in this sport.
Maxime BEAUMONT (FRA) finished on the podium at each of the three world cup events in 2016, winning the race in Montemor-o-Velho. He could become the first French male medallist in a canoe sprint event at Atlanta 1992, when Didier HOYER (FRA) and Olivier BOIVIN (FRA) claimed bronze in the men's C2 1000m.
Liam HEATH (GBR) hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow countryman Ed McKEEVER (GBR), who won the first Olympic gold medal in the men's K1 200m at London 2012. HEATH became European champion and won the world cup event in Racice in 2016.
Men's kayak four K4 1000m
After victory in 2012, Australia is aiming for a second gold medal in the men's K4 1000m.
Australia could become the fourth NOC with back-to-back gold medals in the men's K4 1000m, after Soviet Union (1972-1976), Germany (1992-1996) and Hungary (2000-2004).
In 2016, Australia reached the podium in this event at each of the three world cup events, winning in Duisburg and finishing second in Racice and Montemor-o-Velho.
Czech Republic won the world title in this event in 2014 and became European champion in 2013, 2014 and 2015. They have claimed only one medal in this event at the Olympic Games, bronze at London 2012.
After winning the world title in 2015, Slovakia could become the first reigning world champions in the men's K4 1000m to win the gold medal at the Olympic Games since Hungary in 2000.
Hungary has won joint-most gold medals (3, together with Soviet Union) and claimed most medals (7) of all NOCs in the men's K4 1000m. At the last seven Olympic Games, it only failed to claim a medal at Beijing 2008 (5th). Hungary won gold in 1988, 2000 and 2004 and silver in 1992, 1996 and 2012.
Germany could win its third gold medal in this event, equalling the record of Hungary and Soviet Union.
Women's kayak four K4 500m
Hungary and Germany will continue their battle in the women's K4 500m at Rio 2016. The two NOCs have divided gold and silver amongst themselves in this event at the last four Olympic Games, with Germany winning gold in 2000, 2004 and 2008 and Hungary in 2012.
Germany (G4-S2) and Hungary (G2-S4) have claimed a record six medals in the women's K4 500m.
Hungary could win back-to-back gold medals in this event for the first time and become the second NOC to do so, after Germany which won four in a row between 1996 and 2008.
Coming into Rio 2016, Danuta KOZAK (HUN) was aiming for gold medals in the women's K1 500m, K2 500m and K4 500m. She could become the first ever woman with three gold medals in canoe sprint events at a single Olympic Games. The only men to have achieved this are Vladimir PARFENOVIC (URS) in 1980 and Ian FERGUSON (NZL) in 1984.
Agneta ANDERSSON (SWE) in 1984, Birgit FISCHER (GER) and Vania GESHEVA (BUL) in 1998, and Rita KOBAN (HUN) in 1992 are the only women to have collected three medals in canoe sprint at a single Games.
Ukraine, winner of this event at the world cup in Duisburg in 2016, could win its second medal in the women's K4 500m and join Hungary, Germany, Sweden (S1-B2) and Romania (G1-B1) as the only NOCs with multiple medals in this event.
Poland will hope to collect its first Olympic medal in this event, after finishing in fourth place at each of the past four Olympic Games.
Statistics provided by Gracenote Sports.
