From the spectacular Opening Ceremony on the River Seine to iconic venues and gender parity, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was a joyous one for multiple reasons.
For canoe and kayak lovers, the debut of kayak cross was among the many exciting moments at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
As the City of Love delivered a memorable Games, here are our top moments from the French capital.
Fox is Boss
While Jessica Fox’s legendary status in Canoe Slalom was cemented before the Olympic Games, Paris 2024 took it to a whole new level. She won the canoe-kayak double and became the most successful Canoe Slalom paddler in Olympic history. She now has three Olympic gold, matching France’s Tony Estanguet who is the only other paddler to have achieved three individual titles in slalom.
Carrington Cruise
If Fox ran the show in slalom, Canoe Sprint belonged to New Zealand superstar Lisa Carrington. She won the kayak single 500m, kayak double 500m and kayak four 500m in Paris, taking her Olympic titles to a record-equalling eight. Germany’s Birgit Fischer previously held the record of eight Olympic gold medals for 20 years. If that wasn’t wow enough, Carrington is now one of the most successful Olympic female athletes of all time, with gymnast Larisa Latynina and swimmer Katie Ledecky both winning one more gold.
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Hosts Fly High
After a masterclass in the heats, Nicolas Gestin delighted the home crowd by winning gold in the men's canoe, marking a high point for the host nation. It was the fifth time France claimed the men’s C1 title, with Estanguet winning three and Deni Gargaud Chanut taking the other. However, that was only the beginning as teenager Titouan Castryck added the men’s kayak silver before Angele Hug finished second in the kayak cross.
Pan American Express
We could not have asked for a better end to Paris 2024 with a sensational women’s canoe single 200m final. The tight race saw Canadian Katie Vincent beat Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Nevin Harrison of the United States by a whisker - 0.01 to be exact. It was a special moment for Canada, with Vincent becoming the first female paddler from her country to win an Olympic gold. The race, however, saw more history being made as Cuba’s Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys crossed in third to make it the first all-Pan American podium in Olympic canoeing history.
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"Mario Kart on Water"
World media loved it, likening it to Mario Kart on water. Social media erupted. Fans were cheering at the top of their lungs. If these are not good signs of a special debut, then we don’t know what is. The highly-anticipated Olympic debut of kayak cross enthralled fans and athletes alike. It was another golden day for the Fox family in the women’s race when Noemie Fox opened her Olympic tally on her debut while Oceania reigned supreme when New Zealand’s Finn Butcher took the men’s title.
Do it like Dostal
At 31, Josef Dostal already had four Olympic medals, but none of them was gold. The Czech man stunned everyone in Paris, when he beat the favourites to win the kayak single 1000m crown in Paris, a decade since he last won a gold medal in the event at a major international event, and eight years since he won silver at Rio 2016.
