Fernando Pimenta just proved that age is just a number in the world of canoeing. The 36-year-old veteran grabbed a bronze medal on Saturday at the K1 1,000 meters World Championships in Milan. This top performance highlights his amazing run of consistency on the international stage.
It’s a remarkable feat. Pimenta told Lusa news agency that he hasn’t missed a single World Championship podium in ten years. The only exceptions were the two years when no championships were held. “Getting title after title makes me so happy,” he said. “I’ve been very steady, and that’s rare in global canoeing, or sports generally.”
Pimenta almost went for gold again. He led the K1 1,000-meter final right up until the last 100 meters. He was defending the title he won in Germany last year. He finished in 3 minutes, 26.16 seconds. Hungary’s Balint Kopasz, a Paris 2024 bronze medalist and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, took gold. He beat Pimenta by just 66 hundredths of a second. Australia’s Thomas Green got silver, just 18 hundredths behind Kopasz.
Of course, Pimenta wanted more. But he knows how to appreciate a great race. “My opponents also work hard every day for podiums and titles,” he admitted. “I have to value my bronze medal.” This latest medal marks his 154th award in international competitions.
Believe it or not, Pimenta thought about skipping the big world races this season. He imagined a “quiet year.” But changing his mind clearly paid off. Besides this World Championship bronze, he’s already collected four European gold medals this year. Two came from track events, and two from marathon races.
He even joked about his enduring form. “Maybe I’m like Port wine,” he mused. “The older I get, the better I become.” He added that he’s “happier competing and doing what I do.” Pimenta hopes to keep up his hard work. He wants to leave a legacy, both on and off the water.
Pimenta isn’t done yet in Milan. On Sunday, he’ll race to defend his K1 5,000-meter world silver. He will also compete for a K1 500-meter bronze. He promised to “give his best.” Pimenta also hopes for a better night’s sleep tonight. He had to switch hotel rooms in the middle of the night. A noisy bar next to his hotel kept him awake. So far, Portugal has earned two medals in Milan. Pimenta’s bronze is one. The other is a gold medal in the K4 500 meters. That crew included Gustavo Gonçalves, João Ribeiro, Messias Baptista, and Pedro Casinha.