The National Team ended the World of Milan with three distinct medals, highlighting the Epic Gold in the K4 500 meters from which João Ribeiro and Baptista Messias came out for silver in K2 500.
The Portuguese canoeing team ended, this Sunday, the World of Milan with three distinct medals, especially the Epic Gold in the K4 500 meters from which João Ribeiro and Baptista Messias came out for silver in K2 500.
João Ribeiro and Messias Baptista, who in the title of Friday were accompanied by rookies Gustavo Gonçalves and Pedro Casinha, both 22 years old, guarantee of future in the sport, excelled in a transformation selection and in which the experienced Fernando Pimenta remains protagonist, although below his habitual level, since his peculius this time boiled down to a bronze, but in the Olympic distance of K1 1,000 meters.
The unprecedented world title in K4 500 meters comes after a surprising European gold in June in the Czech Republic of a boat that failed Paris2024, at the time with another crew.
Coach Rui Fernandes has a raw material of excellence to rewrite the Olympic failure, recalling that Gustavo Gonçalves and Pedro Casinha were, in July, under-23 champions in K2 500 meters: among others, Iago Bebiano, 10th in Milan in K1 200 meters, will ensure no one in the team relax.
Fernando Pimenta arrived with the heavy inheritance of three medals brought from the 2023 Worlds in Germany – gold in K1 1,000 meters, silver in the 5,000 and bronze in the 500 – eventually one, the bronze in the Olympic distance.
In a exhausting time that promises to continue to the 36 -year -old marathon worlds in Hungary, Pimenta, he added his 155th international podium, still fourth in K1 500 and sixth in the 5,000, in which 100 meters from the end was fighting for bronze.
The women’s team is in the transformation phase, with the eternal Teresa Portela, already with five Olympic games in the curriculum, to contribute to the formation of a new K4, which is the largest goal of the Federation for Los Angeles2028, since the vessel can unfold in another K1 and K2.
In May, The 37-year-old competitor joined the young Ana Brito, Ana Rodrigues and Inês Costa who in June were 10th in the European, ending 14th in Milan: The level is measured, now it takes a lot of work and commitment to raise it in the next eras, to make the dream come true.
In canoes, and after several junior medals, Beatriz Fernandes, only 21 years old, begins to show himself among the largest in the world, having been 12th and C1 200 meters and achieved unprecedented senior final for Portuguese women in this specialty, in C2 500, along with Inês Penetra.
In adapted canoeing, also very good results, although this time there was no podiums: the European champion and paralympic medalist in Tokyo2020 Norberto Mourão was fourth in VL2, only surpassed by Brazilian duo and a British opponent.
Already the also Paralympic Alex Santos managed to match his best performance ever, with the fifth place in KL1.
The finding system for the Olympic Games has changed and will be ranked, with details to be released by the international federation by the end of the year, but from 2026 will be accounted for in Europe and world championships, as well as world cups.
