China’s Mengya Sun set a sensational world’s best time in the women’s canoe single 500m at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Cup in Szeged, Hungary.
Both Sun and Canada’s Sophie Jensen became the first paddlers in that event to break the two-minute barrier.
Sun, the double Olympic champion in the women’s canoe double 500m, secured gold in 1:59.00 as Jensen sealed silver in 1:59.75.
This ended Alena Nazdrova’s seven-year hold on the world’s best time of 2:00.73 set in 2019.
Hungary’s Zsofia Csorba secured bronze in 2:02.54 to complete the podium in Szeged.
Click here for live schedule and results from Szeged
China have been in impressive form so far this campaign, dominating the Asian Canoe Sprint Championships and have continued winning streak at the first World Cup of the season.
Adding to Sun’s success, Bowen Ji stunned Brazil’s Isaquias Guimaraes Queiroz with a thrilling comeback win in the men’s C1 500m.
The Olympic champion in the men’s C2 500m, was in third position before fighting back to snatch gold from Guimaraes Queiroz by 0.30.
The Chinese paddler secured gold in 1:44.43, with Guimaraes Queiroz clinching silver in 1:44.73 and China’s Shengyue Wu bagging bronze in 1:45.25.
Portugal’s Pedro Casinha stunned the field with a superb showing from lane two to clinch men’s kayak single 200m gold in 34.48.
Hungary’s Gergely Balogh earned silver in 34.65 and Lithuania’s Simonas Maldonis clinched bronze in 34.65.
“It’s my first World Cup medal in a K1 in senior,” said Casinha.
“I train all year with Messias (Baptista) so I was bound to become great by training by his side.
“The wind was strong as well, so it was a great start and great finish as well.”
In the men’s C1 200m, Individual Neutral Athlete Seygey Svinarev saved his best until last to pip Uzbekistan’s Artur Guliev and Spain’s Pable Grana on the line.
Svinarev took the win in 38.05 as Guliev claimed silver in 38.17 and Grana rounded off the podium with 38.30.
“I feel only happiness and that’s it,” said Svinarev.
“I am happy that we managed to win with two cool guys that I was competing with.
“I know Arthur is very strong as he won the world title last year.
“I was just concentrating on myself and was determined to keep first.”
Hungary’s world champion Zsoka Csikos showcased her dominance in the women’s K1 1000m final, powering to an emphatic victory.
Csikos was head and shoulders above the rest as she won by more than a boat length in 3:50.12.
It was a Hungarian one-two with Emese Kohalmi earning silver in 3:51.42, while Germany’s Caroline Heuser bagging bronze in 3:52.34.
Cuba’s Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys and Yinnoly Francheska Lopez Lamadrid saw off China’s Changwen Shuai and Wenjun Lin to take men’s canoe double 200m gold.
A time of 41.53 saw the Cuban duo triumph, beating Shuai and Lin by 0.14.
Uzbekistan’s Shokhsanam Sherzodova and Nilufar Zokirova earned bronze in 42.04.
“I am happy with this result because I have a new partnership in this boat,” said Cirilo Duboys.
“When I finished, I didn’t know who won gold and silver. This race was very hard.”
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