At the age of 19 Hungarian parakayaker's medal count is simply impressive. Peter Pal Kiss won seven medals at Paralympic Games and World and European Paracanoe championships and all of them are gold.
The seventh medal came in Sunday's programme of the Munich 2022 European Championships where Kiss produced the best time at European Championships in history in men's KL1 200 metres event. He was a second faster than Italian Esteban Farias, while bronze medal went to French parakayaker Remy Boulle.
"Today I'm happy. I like this wind, I like this weather, I like this boat. This boat is my favourite. Just two weeks ago in Canada (at the world championships) we didn't have a good vibes and now we have the perfect day," said Kiss.
Germany celebrated gold medal in women's KL1 200 meters event thanks to Edina Mueller who also produced the best European time in today's final. Eleonora De Paolis from Italy was second and Maryna Mazhula from Ukraine was third.
Two gold medals went to Great Britain. Emma Wiggs and Charlotte Henshaw were first and second respectively in women's KL2 200 metres final. Wiggs, too, set the best European time for the winning performance. Henshaw had some problems just before the finish and almost capsized, but she managed to pull out the silver medal. Katalin Varga from Hungary was third.
"It's a huge PB (personal best) for me. I've been working really hard this year. I don't really know what went on in the race, I couldn't see anything because I was out in lane one, but I'm really chuffed to be on the podium again with Charlotte (Henshaw, GBR) and to do a GB one-two is just brilliant," said Wiggs.
Laura Sugar from Great Britain was also crowned European Champion. She was the fastest in women's KL3 200 metres event and had the best European time of all times. Silver medal went to France thanks to Nelia Barbossa, and bronze to Great Britain with Hope Gordon.
"I didn't know what the conditions are like or how fast this lake is, so to win and get a European best is the icing on the cake. We know the top four were the top four in the world last week (at world championships), so we knew it was going to be a real battle out there. We love racing each other and just had to go out there and give it everything. And it was enough to come away with a win," said Sugar.
Juan Antonio Valle from Spain was the best in men's KL3 200 metres event. He won the gold medal this year, while last year he just missed out of the podium and finished fourth. Mateusz Surwilo from Poland was second and Jonathan Young from Great Britain third.
Italian parakayaker Federico Mancarella produced the best time in men's KL2 200 metres final. This is his fourth European Championships medal, first gold. In addition, he has bronze from Tokyo Paralympic Games and two World Championships medals. Ukrainian Mykola Syniuk was second and David Phillipson from Great Britain third.
RESULTS
WKL3 200
1. Laura Sugar (GBR)
2. Nelia Barbosa (FRA)
3. Hope Gordon (GBR)
MKL3 200
1. Juan Antonio Valle (ESP)
2. Mateusz Surwilo (POL)
3. Jonathan Young (GBR)
WKL2 200
1. Emma Wiggs (GBR)
2. Charlotte Henshaw (GBR)
3. Katalin Varga (HUN)
MKL2 200
1. Federico Mancarella (ITA)
2. Mykola Syniuk (UKR)
3. David Phillipson (GBR)
WKL1 200
1. Edina Mueller (GER)
2. Eleonora De Paolis (ITA)
3. Maryna Mazhula (UKR)
MKL1 200
1. Peter Kiss (HUN)
2. Esteban Farias (ITA)
3. Remy Boulle (FRA)
21.8.2022
