Brilliant Olympic bronze for Kimberley Woods

Kimberley Woods has gained the bronze medal within the girls’s particular person kayak on day two of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games.

Kimberley put down a clear run of 98.94 seconds within the closing to place herself in second place behind Jessica Fox.

With two paddlers to go, Klaudia Zwolinska from Poland moved into the silver medal place, and pushed Woods into third place.

Reigning Olympic Champion Ricarda Funk was the final to go, however a 50 second penalty took her out of competition, to verify the bronze and a primary Olympic medal for Woods.

It was the primary Olympic medal within the girls’s K1 for Nice Britain since Helen Reeves in Athens 2004.

The solar got here out on day two of the canoe slalom occasions on the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, the place a technically difficult course noticed many wrestle to navigate by the brand new configuration of 23 gates.

After ending twelfth within the qualifying heats, Woods went into the semi-final with spectacular boat velocity and a clear run to document the quickest time of 99.87 seconds.

As the primary competitor to go beneath 100 seconds, the 28-year-old secured her place in a second Olympic particular person kayak closing, qualifying in third place behind Germany’s Ricarda Funk and Klaudia Zwolinska from Poland.

Within the closing, Australia’s Jessica Fox set the usual with a clear run of 96.08.

Woods, who completed in tenth place on the 2020 Tokyo Video games, got here out of the blocks quick, negotiating the troublesome gate 2 which caught so many paddlers out.

A fast exit from gate 7 and throughout to the upstream gate 8 noticed the Rugby Canoe Membership athlete in competition for the medals.

A quick midsection and spinning clear by 15 and 16, Kim held her composure beautifully to battle again by the upstream gate 17.

A powerful end noticed Woods go into second place with an improved time of 98.94.

A nail biting finale noticed Zwolinska transfer into the silver medal place. However a missed gate 20 and 50 second penalty for Ricarda Funk, the final competitor on the course, secured an excellent bronze medal for Woods.

Talking after the ultimate Kimberley Woods stated:

“It feels completely unimaginable to win Olympic bronze. Realizing all of the exhausting work I’ve put in, my coach has put in. All of the help from buddies, household, simply everybody.

“I really feel so proud to have gained this medal for Group GB.

“I did not understand how my time would sit as I threw my paddle. However I did know I might put down a run I used to be actually completely satisfied. Actually happy I paddle as who I wished to be.

“There was a little bit of a nervous wait. I could not watch the final two paddlers. I had my head in my fingers. I heard the group and my staff surrounded me.

“I’ve obtained a medal spherical my neck and I am so completely satisfied.

“It reveals I’ve obtained a lot power. I am so pleased with who I have been the final three years since Tokyo. Attending to the end line and being pleased with the run I put collectively.”

Coached by Craig Morris at Lee Valley White Water Centre, Kimberley will likely be again in motion within the kayak cross, which begins with the time trials on Friday 2 August.

Subsequent up for Group GB tomorrow is Stafford and Stone paddler, Adam Burgess, who certified second quickest within the males’s particular person canoe.

You possibly can catch Adam and the Group GB canoe slalom/kayak cross staff on Eurosport 1, Discovery+ and BBC One all through the day.

Additional data may be discovered on the Paddle UK Paris 2024 web site.

The right way to Watch

The BBC will convey you intensive protection of the Paris 2024 Olympics throughout TV, iPlayer, Radio 5 Reside, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport web site and the BBC Sport app.

Broadcaster Discovery+ is the rights holder for Paris 2024 and is exhibiting each second of the Video games within the UK.

This consists of ALL of the canoe slalom motion.

Throughout the Discovery+ app and Eurosport channels within the UK, greater than 3,800 hours of reside protection will likely be aired in complete from 07:00 to 22:30 BST every day.

Discovery+ and Eurosport requires a subscription. You could find extra data right here.