Great Britain's Wiggs in quest for her third Paralympic Games in Para canoe

Emma Wiggs, one of the biggest stars in Para canoe, is aiming to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which will take place in less than 500 days. 07 Jun 2023
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A female Para canoe athlete celebrates on her boat after winning her race at Tokyo 2020.
Emma Wiggs won the gold medal in the women's VL2 race at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
ⒸThomas Lovelock/OIS
By ICF Media, IPC

There were many times in the past 11 seasons when Emma Wiggs thought her Paralympic career might be over.

Not so much in the earlier seasons, when she was an early trailblazer in a brand new Paralympic sport that was still very much testing the global waters. In Rio in 2016, when Para canoe made its first tentative steps on the world stage, Wiggs was a star.

The British paddler had already been to a Paralympic Games, as captain of Great Britain’s sitting volleyball team in London in 2012. The switch to Para canoe, very much still a fledgling sport, came straight after the Games, and she quickly showed her talent. By 2013 she was already a world champion.

The world's top Para canoe athletes hit Paralympic waters for the first time in history at Rio 2016. @Al Tielemans/OIS/IOC

Paddling to the Paralympics

At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, many countries were still feeling their way in Para canoe. Wiggs went to the Games as a red-hot favourite, having already picked up five world titles, and did not disappoint.

Her role in showcasing the thrill and excitement on the waters of the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas cannot be downplayed.

“It was just so exciting to be part of that and to hopefully be one of the trailblazers to promote our sport and show what’s possible, because we definitely stood out at the Paralympic Games as an exciting sport,” Wiggs said.

Now Wiggs is competing in her 11th season in Para canoe, while hoping to book her ticket to her third Paralympic Games in the sport. Wiggs captured the gold medal in the women's 200m VL2 race at the first ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup event of the season in Szeged, Hungary.

At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Wiggs successfully won gold in the new Para canoe category of VL2 and silver in the KL2.

But what many did not know was the pain and distress Wiggs went through to even get to the start line in Japan. She struggled with a wrist injury that often left her in tears on the water, but rather than throw it all away, she pushed through.

All eyes on Paris 2024

Ahead of the 2023 season that opened in May, Wiggs said that she felt stronger than ever, and ready to take on an ever-increasing field of up-and-coming paddlers eager to wrest the crown from her head.

“I can’t hide from the fact that every year I’m a year older, and these youngsters are coming through and it’s brilliant to see so much young talent across the world,” Wiggs said.

“I think I’ve still got a good few years in me. I think I’m quite lucky in that I always line up never expecting to win, and that element of self-doubt drives me on in my training.

“But I would love to be able to perform again for GB and grab another medal at another Games.”

Wiggs made her Paralympic debut in sitting volleyball at London 2012 before competing in Para canoe at three Paralympic Games. @Thomas Lovelock/OIS

Wiggs benefits from being part of the strongest Para canoe team in the world, where every day that she goes out on the water is like taking part in a World Championships. The Brits are very, very good at every Para Canoe level.

“I’m able to train with VL3’s and KL3’s, who are classes above me, so it’s good to be able to train with those guys who are leading their categories across the world,” Wiggs said.

“It’s hard some times because you feel like you’re the slow one, but we’ve got to work on our strength, and our strength is being able to train together six days a week, 49 weeks a year.”

Making more history

Wiggs turns 43 this year. She’s had an incredible career already, and will forever be in the record books as one of Para canoe’s first ever Paralympic gold medalists.

If everything goes to plan, she hopes after Paris to be one of only a handful of athletes who has won gold at every Paralympic Games since the introduction of Para canoe.

But don’t mention retirement, because Wiggs definitely won’t. She is already thinking about competing at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games in the United States.

“LA would be nice, I’ve never been out there to compete,” the Paralympian said.

“I don’t feel like it’s my last campaign, the youngsters are coming. But at the minute I still feel like I can make my boats faster, so I’m privileged to be part of it.”