Poland’s Mateusz Borgiel says he hopes to have repaid his sister after missing her wedding to win two gold medals at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Marathon World Championships in Metkovic, Croatia.
Borgiel captured his first world title with victory in the men’s canoe single long-distance on Saturday before teaming up with Mateusz Zuchora to clinch gold in the men’s canoe double on Sunday.
The 27-year-old’s sister was not best pleased when he told her he would be participating at the World Championships rather than attending her wedding.
But it turned out to be an even more memorable weekend for the Borgiel family as he was crowned world champion twice.
Borgiel dedicated his triumphs to his sister and said they were back on good terms after his golden double in Metkovic.
“This is amazing,” said Borgiel.
“Yesterday was my first gold medal and now this is my second so I can’t believe it.
“My sister is very happy now and not upset with me because I have the gold medals.”
Zuchora and Borgiel fought off the challenge of Spain’s Jaime Duro and 47-year-old Oscar Grana to take gold.
Duro and Grana celebrated silver, while Portugal’s Rui Lacerda and Ricardo Coelho bagged bronze.
“We are feeling very good,” said Zuchora.
“We have been waiting for this moment for eight years.
“We started in Brandenburg (in 2016) with fourth place and now we are first.”
Portugal’s two-time Olympic medallist Fernando Pimenta ended his championship on a positive note with a gold in the men’s kayak double alongside Jose Ramalho.
Pimenta was determined to bounce back after a 15-second penalty cost him a medal in the men’s kayak single short-distance final.
“It’s a really nice feeling after a very hard season for me,” said Pimenta.
It is the third successive year that Pimenta and Ramalho have come out on top as they overcame two-time world champions Quentin Urban and Jeremy Candy of France.
“The first time we went on the water together we knew it was a good boat and we could see that we had the potential,” said Ramalho.
“In 2022, we took our first gold and we knew that if we stayed focused and worked well we could get more golds or fight for the medals and we have managed to do that for now.”
Urban and Candy claimed silver, while the bronze went to Hungary’s Adrian Boros and Tamas Erdelyi.
Zsoka Csikos and Emese Kohalmi delivered another gold for Hungary with success in the women’s K2 final.
It capped a fantastic week for the Hungarian team who topped the overall standings with eight golds including six in the junior and under 23 classes.
Kohalmi, who won two golds at last month’s ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Samarkand, almost made a costly mistake when she came close to falling into the water after exiting the penultimate portage.
The wobble did not disrupt their rhythm though as Csikos and Kohalmi saw off South Africa’s Saskia Johanna Hockly and Christie MacKenzie to take gold.
“We are really happy now as we are world champions,” said Csikos.
“It was a great race with really tough competitors.
“After running, Emese didn’t know what to do, wimming or paddling but after she knows that she is paddling.
“After that everything was fine and we got the gold.”
Kohalmi added: It’s been a really successful year which is amazing. This means a lot to me and that was my plan.”
Hockly and MacKenzie finished second with Sweden’s Melina Andersson and Ella Richter clinching bronze.
Portugal also secured a title on the final day with Joao Sousa and Franciso Batista winning men’s K2 junior gold.
Great Britain’s Joseph Enoch and William Short bagged silver, with Spain’s Ruben Castilla and Arturo Aguilar picking up bronze.
Pictures by Garry Bowden
For the results and competition schedule, click here.
Full coverage of this week's event can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
Join Planet Canoe's YouTube channel for €9.99 per month to unlock members-only content and features
Related links
