Czechia’s Josef Dostal backed up winning Olympic gold a fortnight ago by securing his place at the top of the podium at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Championships in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Dostal’s gold was one of 15 won across the non-Olympic events on an action-packed final day as Moldova, Ukraine, Portugal, Poland, Chile, Hungary, Denmark and Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) also achieved success on Sunday.
Just two weeks after clinching his first Olympic crown in the men’s kayak single 1000m at Paris 2024, Dostal captured the world title over the 500m distance.
It is Dostal’s six world gold and fourth in this event as he continued his fabulous form in Samarkand.
“I was just trying to stick with the shape I had at the Olympic Games,” said Dostal.
“It was pretty hard as I had a lot of media stuff and was also trying to manage some training sessions with the mixed K2 with my fiancée (Anezka Paloudova).
“We finished third yesterday so I am really happy about the results that I got in this Championships here.”
Portugal’s Fernando Pimenta came second with AIN paddler Uladzislau Kravets bagging bronze.
There was no gold for the other Olympic champion in the field as Czechia’s Martin Fuksa had to settle for silver after a dramatic men’s canoe single 500m final.
The victory went to Moldova’s Serghei Tarnovschi, while Romania’s Catalin Chirila got the bronze.
Ukraine picked up two gold medals on the final day courtesy of victories for Liudmyla Luzan and Liudmyla Kukinovska.
Luzan was crowned women’s C1 500m champion for the second time.
She overcame Chile’s Maria Jose Mailliard and Kazakhstan’s Mariya Brovkova who picked up silver and bronze respectively.
Kukinovska delivered further Ukrainian success when she won the women’s K1 200m title.
“This is my first World Championships medal and I don’t believe it,” said Kukinovska.
“I am very happy.
“I would like to thank everybody who believed in me and those that didn’t because I did it.”
AIN paddler Anastasiia Dolgova was the silver medallist, while Denmark’s Bolette Nyvang Iversen secured bronze.
Portugal’s Messias Baptista clinched his second gold medal in Samarkand with victory in the men’s K1 200m.
Just 24 hours after winning the mixed kayak double 500m title with Teresa Portela, Baptista came out on top again.
Baptista crossed the finish line first as Poland’s Jakub Stepun took silver and Spain’s Carlos Garrote earned bronze.
“This is the distance that I enjoy the most,” said Baptista.
“I can say that I am the fastest in the world.”
AIN paddlers Svetlana Chernigovskaya and Dolgova captured gold in the women’s K2 200m.
The silver went to Portugal’s Teresa Portela and Francisca Laia, while neutral athletes Maryna Litvinchuk and Volha Khudzenka bagged bronze.
AIN paddlers Alexey Korovashkov and Ekaterina Shliapnikova recovered from a wobble to take the mixed C2 500m title.
“We almost fell in the water so we had to fix it,” said Korovashkov.
“I nearly lost my paddle and then I got it again and had to be quicker.”
Hungary’s Kincso Takacs and Jonatan Daniel Hajdu claimed silver and neutrals Uladzislau Paleshko and Inna Nedelkina clinched bronze.
AIN paddlers Yuliya Trushkina and Inna Nedelkina came out on top in the women’s canoe double 200m.
They got the better of Moldova’s Daniela Cociu and Maria Olarasu who came away with silver, while China’s Shengnan Xu and Jingjing Xiang took bronze.
Poland’s Oleksii Koliadych capped a fine sprint season with victory in the men’s C1 200m.
“I won two World Cups, I’m European champion and now finally I’m the world champion,” said Koliadych.
“Whenever you become world champion it smells different.
“The first title (in 2022) was amazing.
“I’ve prepared for this title for a long time.
“It’s been a long journey to get this second title.”
The other medals went to Spain’s Pablo Grana and Georgia’s Zaza Nadiradze who collected silver and bronze respectively.
Hungary’s Emese Kohalmi won her second gold medal in the space of two days, adding the women’s K1 5000m title to her women’s K1 1000m triumph.
“That was my hardest race ever, I think,” said Kohalmi.
“I tried to do my best and this result is really good.”
Neutral paddler Maryna Litvinchuk sealed silver, while Spain’s Miriam Vega landed bronze.
Denmark’s Mads Brandt Pedersen retained the men’s K1 5000m crown as Pimenta secured silver and Sweden’s Joakim Lindberg took bronze.
There was delight for Poland’s Wiktor Glazunow who captured the men’s C1 5000m crown.
Tarnovschi finished in second, with Hungary’s Balazs Adolf coming third.
Chile’s Maria Jose Mailliard was the champion in the women’s C1 5000m after overhauling Germany’s Annika Loske in the portage.
Loske took silver with Ukraine’s Valeriia Tereta picking up bronze.
The mixed four events made their debut at the World Championships.
AIN quartet Nadzeya Kushner, Volha Khudzenka, Uladzislau Kravets and Dzmitry Natynchyk won the mixed K4 500m crown.
Hungary picked up silver, with Portugal grabbing bronze.
The mixed C4 500m title was won by AIN paddlers Sofia Shtil, Ekaterina Shliapnikova, Zakhar Petrov and Ivan Shtyl.
“It is important for me that I can give my experience to the young generation,” said Shtyl.
“I tell them what I know, so I hope it will help them in the future.
“For me this competition was like I gave a masterclass.”
Neutrals Anhelina Bardanouskaya, Uladzislau Paleshko, Vitali Asetski and Volha Klimava won silver, while the Spanish team clinched bronze.
All the results from today's races can be found here.
Related links
