Gyor, Hungary witnessed a remarkable day for Portuguese canoeing, as Rui Lacerda and Ricardo Coelho powered their way to a gold medal in the C2 event at the Marathon World Championship. The duo, already reigning European champions, showed their class on the demanding course. They added another huge win to their impressive record.
Lacerda and Coelho tackled the 21.8-kilometer race with incredible focus. They crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 35 minutes, and 45.63 seconds. This put them clearly ahead of the competition. Spanish paddlers Jaime Duro and Manuel Garrido earned silver with a time of 1:36:34.96. The bronze medal went to Poland’s Mateusz Zuchora and Mateusz Borgel, who finished in 1:37:32.65.
Rui Lacerda couldn’t hide his joy after the race. Speaking to the Portuguese Canoeing Federation’s media, he called the victory a “dream come true.” He emphasized the hard work that went into becoming world champions, calling it “the top of the tops” in marathon canoeing. It was clear their dedication had paid off in a big way.
A Strong Showing for the Nation
This C2 gold marked Portugal’s third medal at this year’s Marathon World Championship. It highlights a truly successful outing for the national team. Earlier in the competition, Fernando Pimenta clinched gold in the K1 quick race, showing his speed and skill. Not to be outdone, junior paddler Leonardo Barbosa also earned a silver medal in the long C1 event, proving the future is bright.
Other Portuguese crews battled hard throughout the championship. In the K2 women’s final, Andreia Duarte and Maria Rego Gomes pushed themselves to a ninth-place finish. They completed their race in 1:56:46.94, roughly five minutes and twenty seconds behind the Spanish winners, Tania Fernandez and Tania Alvarez. Meanwhile, in the junior K2 race, Yann Vilaça and Edgar Cruz faced difficulties and did not finish. That event was won by Hungarian duo Zarand Janos Lanci and Kevin Budai. Overall, it was a memorable day of racing, especially for Lacerda and Coelho.