The Portuguese canoe sprint team is making big waves at the World Championships in Milan. On Wednesday, four crews secured their spots in the semi-finals for the 500-meter events. This strong showing sets up exciting races ahead, even as one team already punched their ticket directly to the medal race.
The men’s K4 500-meter crew, featuring European champions Gustavo Gonçalves, João Ribeiro, Messias Baptista, and Pedro Casinha, put on a masterclass. They dominated their heat, winning outright. This victory means they skip the semi-finals and head straight to the battle for medals, a fantastic start for the squad.
Other Portuguese athletes faced a tougher path, but still advanced. Young Iago Bebiano showed his speed in the K1 200 meters. He finished a strong second with a time of 35.28 seconds, only a hair behind Arturas Seja of Lithuania. Portugal has a proud history in this sprint distance, with stars like Messias Baptista, Kevin Santos, and Pedro Casinha known for their prowess.
The women’s K4 500-meter team also fought hard to move on. Led by Olympian Teresa Portela, and joined by rising talents Ana Brito, Ana Rodrigues, and Inês Costa, they secured seventh place in their race. This was enough to knock out host nation Italy, the only team in their heat that didn’t advance. This quartet only formed in May. They finished tenth at the European championships, missing the final in the Czech Republic by just one spot. The competition at the Worlds is even tougher, with powerhouses like New Zealand, Australia, China, and Mexico looking strong.
In the canoes, Beatriz Fernandes and Inês Penetra teamed up for the C2 event. They came in third, clocking 2 minutes and 3.31 seconds. This put them 2.93 seconds behind Spain, who earned a direct pass to the final. Their third-place finish means they’ll need to race again in the semi-finals to try for a spot in the final.
Even in adapted canoeing, Portugal had an athlete pushing forward. Alex Santos competed in the KL1 class. He needed to finish in the top three to secure his spot, but came in fourth. He was still a bit far from third place. So, he too will race in the semi-finals, scheduled for Friday.
The excitement in Milan continues as more Portuguese crews are set to debut. Later today, Fernando Pimenta begins his quest to defend his K1 1,000-meter world title. Norberto Mourão, the European champion in the adapted VL2 200-meter class, also starts his races. The World Championships in Milan bring together around 800 paddlers from 73 countries, promising a thrilling showcase of elite canoeing.