Everyone loves a good comeback story in sport, and the 2025 International Canoe Federation season provided a few. However, nothing comes close to that of Paracanoe star Serhii Yemelianov, who is among our moments of 2025.
Serhii Yemelianov screamed with glee, sitting on the pontoon near the finish line at Milan’s Idroscalo Regatta Course. His support staff soon ran to embrace him, celebrating a moment of pure elation.
Winning his fifth world title, and his first in four years, with a powerful performance in the men’s KL3 was more than the 32-year-old had hoped for after a three-year hiatus from the sport.
Switching allegiance from Ukraine to Georgia, the two-time Paralympic champion showed what resilience means as he stormed to gold at the World Championships.
But there were signs earlier in the season that Yemelianov was on a mission.
At the ICF Paracanoe World Cup in Poznan, Poland, he triumphed in his first competition since last competing internationally at the ICF Paracanoe World Championships in September 2021.
Then, he went on to add the European KL3 title in Racice, Czechia, and the European marathon gold medal in Ponte de Lima, Portugal, before storming to victory in Milan.
“The last three years have been hard to change my National Federation, but I came prepared to show my results here,” he said after winning in Italy.
“Thanks to my family and coaches, and Georgia, for all the support.
“I pushed in 2024, but three years to go until the next Paralympic Games, and I will be ready.”
If all these results were not enough, he went on to be part of history as Gyor, Hungary, hosted the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships.
For the first time in the ICF flagship event, official Paracanoe world titles were contested in marathon distances of 6km and 10km, with the Georgian going on to win silver in the men’s KL3 10km final.
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