Kierey delights home crowd at canoe Europeans

With 12 gold medals on offer, Great Britain took home a staggering seven, as well as two silvers.

Germany's Tom Kierey grabbed victory on home-soil, as Great Britain’s para-canoe athletes dominated the 2014 ECA Canoe Sprint European Championships in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany, on Sunday (13 July).

Kierey was able to delight the home crowd as he tasted victory in the men’s K1 200m LTA, replicating the gold that he took at the 2013 para-canoe World Championships.

With 12 gold medals on offer, Great Britain took home a staggering seven, as well as two silvers.

Elsewhere, there were two gold medals for Italy and one for Poland as they finished second and third respectively in the medals table.

Para-canoe is set to be a new sport at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, and this European Championships saw many of the medal hopefuls in top form.

In an intense final, Great Britain’s Anne Dickins retained her world title in the women’s K1 200m LTA event, narrowly edging out France’s Cindy Moreau by just 0.213 in 50.242.

But it was arguably her compatriot Jeannette Chippington who was most impressive, with the world champion setting two new world records on her way to double European Championship titles in the women’s K1 200m A and the women’s V1 200m A.

Also topping the podium for Great Britain was Ian Marsden, who claimed gold in the men’s K1 200m A1, in an incredibly tight race against Hungary’s Andras Rozbora, with Poland’s Jakub Tokarz in third.

But Tokarz was to taste glory in his other event, storming to victory in men’s V1 200m A1.

Speaking to the International Canoe Federation (ICF), Tokarz stated that he was confident in his ability from the start.

He said: “I’m very happy, but I knew that I’d win after the lot of training I´ve made.”

In the men’s V1 200m LTA, there was more success for Great Britain, as Martin Tweedie took gold ahead of Hungary’s Daniel Geri.

And in the women’s equivalent, Tweedie’s compatriot Andrea Green also swept gold well ahead of her closest competitors.

Austria took home their only gold of the competition in the men’s K1 200m TA, as Markus Mendy Swoboda took the victory ahead of Russia’s Viktor Potanin.

And in the men’s V1 200m TA, Italy clinched their first gold with Pier Alberto Buccoliero dominating the field ahead of Great Britain’s Jonathan Young.

But there was more success for Great Britain, with Emma Wiggs powering ahead on her way to gold in the women’s V1 200m TA.

And Italy completed their medal haul in the women’s K1 200m TA, with Veronica Yoko Plebani taking the gold, and Wiggs coming in second.

For more information on the event, or to check out the full results visit the official website of the 2014 ECA Canoe Sprint European Championships.