Daily Review
Day 3 – 20th August 2015
Chippington (GBR) Continues Golden Run
On paracanoeing’s concluding day of the ICF Canoe Sprint Championships, the sport’s most prolific medallist, Britain’s Jeanette Chippington, added another gold to her tally whilst Tom Kiery of Germany won his second and Australian Susan Seipel her first.
With a year to go to until the Rio Games the heat is turning up on the pressurised world of paracanoeing. But whilst it gets tougher to stay at the top Chippington continues to find keep ahead of the pack. Today she extended her Worlds medal winning to nine after winning the women’s KL1 200m Final.
Beating the relative newcomer, Germany’s Edina Muller by over a boat length, Chippington looked her usual composed self. But, having spent the past two days coming to terms with finishing the heats in the uncustomary second position, she admitted that underneath it had been a nerve-jangling experience.
“I am so relieved because that was a real tough one, the toughest so far,” said Chippington afterwards.
“I was lying in second position after the heat and when you feel that World Championship medal is going to possibly slip through your grasp it puts a lot of pressure on you. I am so, so pleased to win today.”
Previous to canoeing Chippington had amassed a stack of medals in para swimming. But the years of experience do not lessen the pressure. And she knows that being the best mentally prepared athlete in the Rio Games next summer will go a very long way.
“We have a great team and all the backing so that is taken care of,” she continued. “I will work on the end of my race and the mental preparation. In Rio the pressure is going to be up there so it’s whoever handles it the best.”
One of the athletes likely to challenge her for the gold in Rio is the fast improving German Edina Muller, who took the silver in her first World Championships today.
“This was my first really big competition,” said Muller who had also won silver in this summer’s European Championships. “And I got a little closer this time so maybe next time it will be gold. I don’t know but I’m going to work on that.
“That’s was my first World Championship. I trained all winter through the ice and snow and this is kind of the reward for that so it sounds really good.”
Another German, Tom Kiery, had won a gold in the 2013 paracanoeing Worlds kayak event but did not make the podium in 2014, confirmed his return to the top of the world in the Men’s KL3 200.
“It’s amazing and a great comeback from the last year when I was a little bit depressed,” said Kiery, who finished in 39.270 seconds.
“This year we worked hard on the last hundred metres and on my body weight and now it works.
“The race was like a deep black tunnel but I only knew when I got close to the British guy after 100 metres that I had a chance to win and I did it.”
Asked what is next he added, “You can ask everybody in the A final and we all want gold. We train for this medal and that’s the next step.”
Finishing second was Britain’s Rob Oliver, who showed a big improvement over his fifth place in Moscow a year ago.
“This has been a fantastic year, my first year of being a 100 percent full time athlete and I’m just glad it’s paid off,” said Oliver who gave a roar 20 metres from the line to spur himself on to his first sub 40 second performance..
“I won the Euros and to be second here is just massive progression,” said Oliver. “Breaking 40 seconds today was a massive thing I wanted to do, this year’s biggest goal. I put everything into it and now I feel like I’ve absolutely smashed it.”
Australia added to its medal haul in its most successful paracanoeing Worlds yet. Susan Seipel, who on Wednesday won her first ever Worlds medal, a bronze in the women’s KL2 200m final, went two steps higher today by capturing the KL2 200m title.
“It feels amazing to be World Champion and I was so happy to come over the line first,” said Seipel, who beat Russian Nadezda Andreeva by over four seconds. “I haven’t been working as much in the V as I have in the K so I’m so glad I got it.
“It’s great to have so many medallists in the team and they’re all so supportive so it’s been a fantastic week.”
Brazil had begun the week with medals and they ended with another today, Raiza Ribeiro Benivides finishing with bronze in the women’s KL2 200.
“I’ve never been to a World Championships before and I’m very proud because I hadn’t been training in this kind of canoe so to win a medal is much more than I expected,” she said.
“I want to be a part of the Brazilian team in Rio next summer but I know that the level will be very high, so I will train as hard as I can now.”
Results
Men’s KL3 200m A Final
1.Tom Kiery (GER) 39.270
2.Robert Oliver (GBR) 39.739
3. Leonid Krylov (RUS) 39.784
Women’s KL1 200m Final
1.Jeanette Chippington (GBR) 56.865
2.Edina Muller (GER) 57.513
3.Svitlana Kupriianova (UKR) 59.365
Women’s VL2 200m Final
1.Susan Seipel (AUS) 59.916
2.Nadezda Andreeva (RUS) 1:04.289
3. Raiza Ribeiro Benivides (BRA) 1:05.536
Day 1 – 20th August 2015
McGrath (AUS) steps on the podium twice
Australia won two gold medals on the second day of the ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships in Milan whilst Brazil added two to its own tally, underlining its growing strength with the Rio 2016 Paralympics looming closer.
Australian Curtis McGrath has been an ever present threat in the men’s KL2 since he opted to add kayak to his repertoire after it was decided as the boat for the 2016 Paralympics Games.
In yesterday’s men’s KL2 200m heats he came in ahead of six times World Champion Austrian Markus Mendy Swoboda but the Austrian turned the tables today to win his seventh crown, just over half a second up on McGrath.
“It was a hard race but I’m still breathing,” joked Swoboda after emerging from the water following his celebratory leap.
“When they announced kayak for the Olympics a lot changed and I became number two so there’s a lot to do for next year as well to stay on top.
“I had a big advantage because I started at a very young age, 10 years old. Since then I stayed with it, but as the time goes by the gap gets closer because they gain years themselves so I have to step up my game again.”
McGrath later topped his silver by retaining his World Va-a title, coming in 2.76 seconds ahead of Spain’s Javier Reja in the VL2 200m final.
“I’m not sure if it was the best result but I can’t really complain and I’m pretty happy,” said the Australian, clearly a hard task master having been involved in the sport at high performance little over a year.
“That was the intent, to come here and be able to defend the title and I’m glad the schedule enabled me to do so. I’m going back to what I know in the V1 so it wasn’t as difficult as you might think bit it’s a different style and stroke rhythm.
“Still, I know there’s always improvement to be made.”
A second Australian topped the podium this afternoon when Amanda Reynolds pipped Britain’s Anne Dickins on the line in the women’s KL3 200m A Final.
Reynolds, who won bronze medallist in last year’s World Championships, did not like today’s tailwind and was conscious that Dickins was gaining ground, but she dug deep with characteristic gutsiness to take the win.
“I actually prefer a head wind, so it was a bit messy but my goal was to get to the end first and we did it,” said Reynolds.
“I could feel the pressure and out of the corner of my eye I could see another boat coming up by I told myself I’m not giving up now so I’m going to put it. It’s awesome to win the gold and I couldn’t expect any better.”
If anyone questioned how well Brazil’s paracanoe team are preparing for next summer’s Rio Paralympics then today’s third gold medal of the regatta by the 2016 Games host nation should remove all doubts.
In this afternoon’s KL1 200m A Final, the gold surprisingly did not go to the widely-tipped former World Champion, Ferna Fernandes De Papua, but instead to his compatriot, Luis C.Cardoso Da Silva, who yesterday had won the gold in the VL1 final.
“I’m extremely happy, so happy I don’t even know how to describe how I feel now,” said an emotional Cardoso Da Silva afterwards.
“I thought I had the potential to win this race today and I fought very, very hard to get this result.
“Some days somebody has to win, some days somebody has to lose. Today I won.”
Fernandes De Papua, who finished third and over two seconds down on the leader, with Spain’s Javier Reja separating them, said afterwards, “I need to work hard now to take my place with the Brazilians in next year’s Games in Rio.
“I need to fight much; I’m fighting so much six years ago when I started the paracanoe. It’s so much more competitive now so much more beautiful. I’m sure that we will make something so beautiful in Brazil next year.”
Men’s KL2 200m A Final
1. Markus Mendy Swoboda (AUT) 42.542
2. Curtis McGrath (AUS) 43.185
3. Fernando Rufino De Paulo (BRA) 43.415
Women’s KL3 200m A Final
1.Amanda Reynolds (AUS) 50.501
2.Anne Dickins (GBR) 50.521
3.Cindy Moreau (FRA) 50.951
Men’s KL1 200m A Final
1. Luis C.Cardoso Da Silva (BRA) 50.863
2.Jakub Tokarz (POL) 52.533
3.Ferna Fernandes De Padua (BRA) 52.970
Men’s VL2 200m Final
1. Curtis McGrath (AUS) 49.489
2. Javier Reja (ESP) 52.205
3. Ivo Killian (GER) 53.985
Day 1 – 19th August 2015
Brazil Double on Day One
Brazil claimed two gold medals on day one of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championship in Milan after four nations shared the early titles in the paracanoeing event.
Caio Ribeiro De Carvalho (BRA) won the Men’s VL3 200m final, stealing victory from Britain’s Jonathan Young after a summoning a powerful surge on the line.
“When I kicked at the end I looked and realised when I had crossed first it was more than overwhelming,” said the Brazilian afterwards.
“I was keeping my head straight because I was very upset that the Va-a was taken out of the Paralympics; it really broke my heart."
“Last year I lost my title and I was focussed on getting my title back, so thank you Brazil. This is for Brazil.”
His compatriot Luis C Cardoso Da Silva, who is concentrating hard on developing his kayak skills in a bid to make the team for next year’s Rio Games, showed he is still a force to be reckoned with in the non-Paralympic Va-a after winning the men’s VL1 200m title.
“I am very happy because last year I won this race so it was good to win it again,” he said.
“I haven’t improved the Va-a too much since last year because my goal is the Paralympic Games in Rio for kayak so I train a lot in kayak, but I am still very happy for this win.”
It was gold and silver for Britain in the women’s KL2 200m final, with Emma Wiggs leading in her training partner Nicola Paterson. Wiggs, who a year ago in the Moscow Worlds won golds in the K1 and V1 competitions, finished today almost a second and a half up on Paterson.
“Today was all about qualifying a Great Britain boat for Rio, so it’s not about individual performances,” said Wiggs.
But I’m absolutely delighted with my performance and my teammate Nikki came in a fraction behind me for second is just the icing on the cake.
I get to train with her every day so I know we are neck and neck. She’s a phenomenal athlete and it’s lucky that we can push each other so we can be on top of the world.
The day’s other two finals were won by Anja Pierce, an American who previous to today’s women’s VL3 200m final had won a silver and bronze in this competition, and Poland’s Katarzyna Leskiewicz who took gold in the women’s VL1 200m.
Elsewhere Australian Curtis McGrath qualified direct for the finals in his two competitions after producing the fastest times in both events’ heats. He finished his VL2 200m in 53.120 seconds, some 1.285 ahead of Spaniard Javier Refa.
Then in the KL2 200 he won again his heat 42.839 seconds, just 0.012 ahead of five times gold medallist Markus Mendy Swoboda from Austria. There was no disputing who the winner was in this afternoon’s semifinals with Swoboda crossing the line more than four seconds up on Dejan Fabcic of Slovenia.
“My heat was a bit of a problem but the semifinal I used to get more rhythm for the race, so it was really nice to be so far in the front like I used to,” he said afterwards.
Swoboda used to compete in both the Va-a and the Kayak, but has selected to focus on the Kayak this season ahead of its Paralympic debut in Rio.
“It’s a pity for other V1 athletes who were preparing only for the V1 events but I’m lucky to come from the K1 events,” he admitted.
“So I was so happy when they changed it to the K1. It does make the competition harder hard and Curtis won my heat this morning. It was pretty close but he was in front, and that makes the competition a lot harder I’m happy about it.”
Men’s VL1 200m
1. Luis C.Cardoso Da Silva (BRA) 57.912
2. Jakub Tokarz (POL) 58.639
3. Robert Suba (HUN) 1:02.919
Men’s VL3 200m
1. Caio Ribeiro De Carvalho (BRA) 50.656
2. Jonathan Young (GBR) 51.058
3. Daniel Geri (HUN) 52.311
Women’s VL1 200m
1. Emma Wiggs (GBR) 53.023
2.Nicola Paterson (GBR) 54.521
3. Susan Seipel (AUS) 55.616
Women’s VL3 200m
1. Anja PIERCE (USA) 1:02.536
2. Frances BATEMAN (GBR) 1:03.208
3. Aline SOUZA LOPES (BRA) 1:05.432
Women’s VL1 200m
1. Katarzyna Leskiewicz (POL) 1:15.299
2. Ann Yoshida (USA) 1:18.539
(non-world championship event)
