Czechia’s Tereza Kneblova made her dreams come true when she captured women’s kayak cross gold in front of a euphoric home crowd in Prague.
The fans that packed the stands along the Troja course roared Kneblova home as she secured her first-ever gold medal at an International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup.
After Czechia missed out on a medal in yesterday’s canoe and kayak events, Kneblova ensured the World Cup finished on a high for the hosts.
Kneblova fed off the energy of the crowd as she forged clear of the field in the final, while France’s Camille Prigent, United States’ Evy Leibfarth and Great Britain’s Kimberley Woods battled for the other positions.
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There were jubilant scenes when Kneblova crossed the finish line as she celebrated gold.
“To do something like this in front of Czech people is something else and I’m so proud of myself that I made such big progress in kayak cross,” said Kneblova.
“You are so close to the crowd, and you can hear them scream.
“It really pushes me to the finish line and I’m so glad that I experience this.
“It was something else. It’s my first World Cup gold so it’s special.”
Prigent picked up silver, while Leibfarth backed up yesterday’s K1 gold to seal kayak cross bronze.
New Zealand’s Finn Butcher, the Olympic champion in kayak cross, ended his long wait for a World Cup title.
Since making his international debut in 2012, Butcher has picked up three silvers and one bronze, but a World Cup gold had eluded him until today.
The 30-year-old proved too strong as he stormed to the title as Czechia’s Martin Rudorfer earned silver and Spain’s Manuel Ochoa claimed bronze.
“Prague is my favourite World Cup race, I love coming here and I love racing here,” said Butcher.
“It’s epic to take away a win and it’s my first World Cup win as well.
“I have been second a few times and got bronze last year but it’s sick to get a gold.”
In the women’s kayak cross individual, Australia’s Jessica Fox bounced back from the disappointment of yesterday’s C1 and K1 events to claim gold on the final day.
The three-time Olympic champion failed to advance beyond the C1 heats before finishing eighth in the K1 final on Saturday.
Fox responded by powering her way to the kayak cross individual title in 66.56.
Prigent continued her superb form in the individual format to take silver in 67.68.
Slovakia’s Sona Stanovska and Czechia’s Olga Samkova finished in joint third after they both posted a time of 67.86.
Belgium’s Gabriel De Coster also used yesterday’s frustration as further motivation as he secured top spot.
After picking up a 50-second penalty to deny him a medal in the men’s K1 on Saturday, De Coster came back to win men’s kayak cross individual gold.
De Coster crossed the finish line in 61.65 to take the title, while home favourite Jakub Krejci registered 62.02 for silver.
There was a three-way battle for third spot, with Mathurin Madore taking it in 62.39, overcoming French teammates Benjamin Renia and Titouan Castryck.
Photos by Dezső Vékássy
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