Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Who are the medal hopefuls in canoe sprint? Why are there no Team GB athletes?
Published 06/08/2024 at 09:54 GMT+1
After the exhilarating success of the kayak cross, Paris 2024 turns to the fast-paced canoe sprint event where paddlers glide across the water to fight for gold. The are a number of promising athletes to watch out for in the sprint event, but curiously, no Team GB paddlers despite four competitors in the kayak cross. Here is all you need to know about canoe sprint at the Olympics.
'It's nuts!' - Woods and Clarke reflect on Olympic kayak cross medals
Video credit: TNT Sports
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will see the world's fastest paddlers glide their way towards gold in the canoe sprint events, kicking off on Tuesday, August 6.
The kayak cross captured the hearts and minds of viewers across social media, but it is now the turn of the sprinters, who stab at the flatwater with carbon-fibre single-bladed paddles like they are twirling batons.
The event is split into fours, doubles, and singles, and are at distances ranging from 200m to 1,000m.
WHEN AND WHERE IS THE CANOE SPRINT?
Athletes will compete at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, where all rowing and canoe-kayak events are being hosted.
The sprint events begin on August 6 and finish on August 10.
ATHLETES TO WATCH IN CANOE SPRINT
The canoe sprint event will be headlined by the legendary Lisa Carrington, a five-time Olympic champion. The New Zealand paddler, who won three golds in Tokyo, is back to anchor a foursome in the women's 500m, doubles 500m and defend her single 500m title.
The United States' Nevin Harrison took Olympic gold in the 200m race in Tokyo 2020 and is a two-time world champion in the same event. Harrison was just 19 in Tokyo, and now 22 years old, will try to defend her Olympic title.
Harrison will face a tough test from Cuban Yarisleidis Cirilo, a 200m world champion.
Olympic champion Balint Kopasz from Hungary will hope to deliver another gold in the men's 1000m, while compatriot Sandor Totka will form a foursome in the 500m after winning gold in the single 200m in Tokyo.
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Watch dramatic finish as GB's Clarke takes silver in kayak cross final
Video credit: TNT Sports
WHY ARE THERE NO TEAM GB ATHLETES IN CANOE SPRINT?
Team GB has a storied history of success in canoe and kayak events, winning gold at the Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games.
But for the first time ever, Team GB have sent no canoe sprinters to the Olympics.
Despite four paddlers competing in the slalom, Team GB failed to qualify for the 10 sprint disciplines taking place at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
- What is kayak cross? The exhilarating new Olympic event making waves on social media explained
- Joe Clarke wins silver for Team GB in men's kayak cross after dramatic race
- Team GB's Keely Hodgkinson on winning 800m gold medal - 'Never felt pressure like it'
“We’re disappointed that there will be no canoe sprint athletes representing Team GB," said Chris Furber, performance director of Canoe Sprint at Paddle UK.
“It was hugely disappointing for our paddlers, who committed and sacrificed so much to try and qualify."
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer
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