Canoe Sprint 2024 Paris Olympics Review

Men’s K-1 1000m

Balint Kopasz (Hungary) was quickest in the heats and went on to win the first semi-final with Adam Varga (Hungary) taking the other. In the final, Fernando Pimenta (Portugal) seemed to be out of the gates quickest and led at 250m ahead of Josef Dostal (Czech Republic). By halfway, it was the same top two. At 750m, there was four boats in contention, led by Dostal with Kopasz in second. Varga had closed in on Pimenta and was soon the fastest man at the front of the course but he could not catch Dostal. 

🥇Josef Dostal 🇨🇿

🥈Adam Varga 🇭🇺

🥉Balint Kopasz 🇭🇺

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction 

My predicted podium all finished in the top four but I missed the winner Dostal who I thought was passed his best

Men’s K-2 500m

The German teams were quickest in the heats, led by Schopf/Lemke (Germany). In the semi finals, van der Westhuyzen/Green (Australia) set an Olympic best. The final began closely, but by halfway the Germans had edged ahead of the Australian pair. They would come back at the Germans alongside Nadas/Totka (Hungary) but neither could finish strongly enough. 

🥇Jacob Schopf/Max Lemke 🇩🇪

🥈Bence Nadas/Sandor Totka 🇭🇺

🥉Jean van der Westhuyzen/Thomas Green 🇦🇺

 

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 0 perfect prediction 

Of the six major contenders, I mentioned the podium came from them. I expected Australia to win the final having set an Olympic best in the semi final. 

Men’s K-4 500m

Serbia won the first heat, but Germany set an Olympic best in the second. In the quarter-final, Australia posted a new Olympic best which they improved again in the semi, with Germany winning the other semi. In the final, It looked like Spain started best, edging ahead of Germany and Australia at halfway. Australia began to make their move but Germany soon moved to the front. It would be a photo finish, with barely anything between them, but Germany held on for gold.

🥇Germany 🇩🇪

🥈Australia 🇦🇺

🥉Spain 🇪🇸

 

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 2 perfect prediction 

Australia were the team I missed here, although I mentioned they had the ability if they competed to best of their ability 

Men’s C-1 1000m

Catalin Chirila (Romania) went quickest in the heats but could not make the final. Martin Fuksa (Czech Republic) was fastest in the semi finals, with Sebastian Brendel (Germany) winning the other. Fuksa led the final after 250m ahead of Zakhar Petrov (Russia). By 500m, the gap had grown for Fuksa and by 750m he led by 2.25 seconds. The real battle was for the other medals as Serghei Tarnovschi (Moldova) closed down on Petrov. Isaquias Queiroz (Brazil) finished fastest, coming through to take silver. 

🥇Martin Fuksa 🇨🇿

🥈Isaquias Queiroz 🇧🇷

🥉Serghei Tarnovschi 🇲🇩

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction 

When Chirila set an Olympic best in the heats, I felt confident in my prediction. He also won the B final and I wonder what he could have achieved in that final. 

Men’s C-2 500m

In the heats, Hao/Bowen (China) went quickest, setting an Olympic best, with Petrov/Korovashkov (Russia) winning the other. In the semi finals, it was the other way round, with the Russians fastest. In the final, China looked to have the lead over Adolf/Hajdu (Hungary). At halfway, China remained in first but Russia had edged Hungary as their main rivals. Over the second half of the race, China would pull away to take gold. The battle was for the other medals places as Hungary begun to struggle and Russia also faltered. This allowed Casadei/Tacchini (Italy) to finish quickly and take silver ahead of Moreno/Dominguez (Spain). 

🥇Liu Hao/Ji Bowen 🇨🇳

🥈Gabriele Casadei/Carol Tacchini 🇮🇹

🥉Joan Antoni Moreno/Diego Dominguez 🇪🇸

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction 

China were not as strong favourites in the betting as I expected but won well. 

Women’s K-1 500m

Lisa Carrington (New Zealand) went fastest in the heats ahead of Aimee Fisher (New Zealand), the only two under 1.50. Both won semi finals, along with Alida Dora Gazso (Hungary) and Tamara Csipes (Hungary). In the final, Carrington got off to a quick start, but by halfway Csipes had moved ahead, with Emma Jorgensen (Denmark) in third. Carrington would overtake Csipes at around 300m, while Jorgensen held onto bronze ahead of fast finishing Fisher

🥇Lisa Carrington 🇳🇿

🥈Tamara Csipes 🇭🇺

🥉Emma Jorgensen 🇩🇰

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 0 perfect prediction 

Again, in the four that I suggested would see the three podium finishers. I expected Fisher to be better but she disappointed 

 

Women’s K-2 500m

Paszek/Hake (Germany) went fastest in the heats. In the semi final, Carrington/Hoskin (New Zealand) were fastest with Jagsch/Rohlings (Germany) winning the other. In the final, New Zealand would start fastest and by 250m they had an advantage of 0.64 over the second German pair. They would continue to extend as Csipes/Gazso (Hungary) moved into second. They battled with the other German pair and just about took silver. 

🥇Lisa Carrington/Alicia Hoskin 🇳🇿

🥈Tamara Csipes/Alida Dora Gazso 🇭🇺

🥉Paulina Paszek/Jule Hake 🇩🇪

Prediction analysis; 1 medalist correct, 1 perfect prediction 

I did not expect Hungary to compete to that extent basically at any point

Women’s K-4 500m

Germany were quickest in the heats, with New Zealand winning the other. In the final, New Zealand went out hard and at halfway led by just 0.05 from Germany, with China in third. Germany soon moved into first while Hungary began putting China under pressure. With 100m to go, New Zealand would go back ahead and held on to win from Germany, with Hungary taking the bronze. 

🥇New Zealand 🇳🇿

🥈Germany 🇩🇪

🥉Hungary 🇭🇺

Prediction analysis; 1 medalist correct, 1 perfect prediction 

Again, I did not consider Hungary to be at this level. I did mention Germany as possible contenders 

Women’s C-1 200m

Nevin Harrison (United States) was quickest in the heats ahead of Yarisleidis Cirilo (Cuba). Cirilo won the first semi, while Katie Vincent (Canada) took the second. In the final, Harrison got the early lead over Vincent at halfway. Those two pulled away from the field and crossed the line in a photo finish that was impossibly close. Vincent won by 0.01 in a world best.

🥇Katie Vincent 🇨🇦

🥈Nevin Harrison 🇺🇸

🥉Yarisleidis Cirilo 🇨🇺

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 0 perfect prediction 

I mentioned Cirilo in the same category as Wenjun but went for the wrong one. 

Women’s C-2 500m

Mackenzie/Vincent (Canada) set an Olympic best in the heats, with Shixiao/Mengya (China) winning the other. The Chinese pair then set an Olympic best in the semi final, while the Canadians won the other. In the final, the Chinese pair appeared to get out best. By halfway, they led the Canadians by 0.63 with Szczerbinska/Borowska (Poland) in third. China continued to pull away further and it was Luzan/Rybachok (Ukraine) finishing fastest, actually getting second. 

🥇Xu Shixiao/Sun Mengya 🇨🇳

🥈Liudmyla Luzan/Anastasiia Rybachok 🇺🇦

🥉Sloan Mackenzie/Katie Vincent 🇨🇦

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction 

I mentioned Ukraine in the potential medalists category.