News

What a day this has been for Hungarian canoeing. Their future stars showed superpower on the Malta Lake in Poznan and claimed 13 European champion titles just in the 500 and 200 metres finals that were held today. In addition, Hungary won three silver medals and one bronze today.

The star of this championships undoubtedly became Levente Kurucz who wrote history by winning on Saturday in men's K1 1000 meters final, and adding two European junior titles on Sunday both in the 500 and 200 metres final.

 

"I am very happy. I did my best. I did not expect to win in the 200 metres final, because it is not my distance. This gave me a lot of motivation and I hope I will do the same at the World Championships," said the rising star of Hungarian canoeing. 18-year-old kayaker switched to canoeing after practising swimming, duathlon, triathlon and running.

 

The other newly crowned European Champions representing Hungary are Sara Fojt (WK1 junior 500m), Agnes Kiss (WC1 junior 500m), women's junior K4 500m crew, Alida Gazso (WK1 U23 500m), Laura Gonczol - Reka Opavszky (WC2 junior 500m), Giada Bragato - Bianka Nagy (WC2 U23 500m), Sara Fojt - Laura Ujfalvi (WK2 junior 500m), Dora Horanyi (WC1 U23 200m), Laura Ujfalvi (WK1 junior 200m), Adrien Orosz (WK1 U23 200m), and Agnes Kiss - Szofia Csorba (WC2 junior 200m).

 

Russia won four gold medals on the last day of the championships thanks to men's junior and U23 K4 500m crews, Zakhar Petrov and Kirill Romanov (MC2 U23 500m) and Dumitru Rotaru - Maksim Karataev (MC2 junior 500m). They added five silvers and two bronze medals.

 

The host nation was very proud of their U23 team. Polish women's K4 500 metres crew continued their winning streak as they managed to defend their 2019 European Champion title in this event (they are also defending World Champions), Martyna Klatt and Sandra Ostrowska were the fastest in women's K2 U23 500 metres final, while the Polish national anthem also played to honour the fastest performance of Jakub Stepun in men's K1 U23 200 metres final.

 

Spanish national anthem played in two events. Antia Otero won in women's junior C1 200 metres final and Joan Moreno in men's U23 C1 200 metres final. Moreno is also the reigning senior European Champion in this event. He won the title early in June when Poznan hosted the 2021 ECA Senior Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe European Championships. "I am very satisfied with today's race. The things went as we worked for. I am very proud to win this race. Before the start of this season I have not previsioned these results. I am super happy with the results I had," said Moreno. Two silver and five bronze medals were also won today by young Spanish paddlers.

 

Daniela Cociu from Moldova celebrated European Champion title first in women's C1 U23 500 metres final and then together with Maria Olarasu in C2 U23 200 metres event. Thorbjorn Rask from Denmark won his second European Champion title of the weekend in men's K1 U23 final (he was the best also in the 1000 metres final on Saturday), while Aliaksander Zubok claimed European Champion title in men's junior 200 metres final.

 

Athletes from Germany, Croatia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Portugal, Georgia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Italy also stood on the winner's podium today.

 

 

The 2022 ECA Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint European Championships will be held in Belgrade, Serbia.