Canoeing - BBC Sport (original) (raw)

Harry Poole
BBC Sport journalist in Paris

Image source, Getty Images

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Joe Clarke is one of the favourites for kayak cross gold in Paris

Great Britain's former Olympic champion Joe Clarke missed out on a medal in the men's kayak single (K1) final at Paris 2024.

The 31-year-old world champion, who won gold on his Olympic debut at Rio 2016, placed fifth in 89.82 seconds to finish 1.6secs behind Italy's gold medallist Giovanni de Gennaro.

French 19-year-old Titouan Castryck won silver and Spain's Pau Echaniz took bronze.

Clarke, omitted from the team for the Tokyo Games three years ago, will now target gold in kayak cross - an event in which he is the three-time reigning world champion.

As the fastest qualifier, Clarke was the last to make his bid for gold in the final but, while he received no penalties, could not force his way on to the podium.

Clarke’s Olympic journey to Paris had been one of extremes, from the glorious heights of Rio 2016 to a painful Tokyo omission, and he placed his hands on his head after seeing confirmation that he had fallen short at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

Britain's first individual K1 gold medal winner at the age of 23 on his Olympic debut in Rio eight years ago, Clarke has since admitted that glorious moment may have arrived too early in his career.

Clarke was left considering his future in the sport after missing out on Tokyo but has been rewarded for his perseverance since, winning double world gold last year in the men's K1 and kayak cross events.

The Briton will now target Olympic kayak cross gold, having triumphed in that discipline at each of the past three World Championships.

However, the chaotic and unpredictable nature of that event, making its Olympic debut in Paris and which pits four athletes against each other on the course at the same time, means there are no guarantees Clarke's world domination will translate to success when that competition begins on Friday.