What a finish in Milan! Portugal’s K4 500-meter team seized the World Championship title this Friday. The quartet of Gustavo Gonçalves, João Ribeiro, Messias Baptista, and Pedro Casinha showed incredible teamwork. They paddled their way to victory, starting from lane six.
The Portuguese crew clocked a remarkable time of 1 minute, 18.93 seconds. It was a nail-biter, with the margin incredibly tight. They edged out Hungary by just five-hundredths of a second. Spain finished 40-hundredths of a second behind them. This impressive win comes after they also claimed the European title back in June.
This gold medal is a huge moment for Portugal. It marks their very first medal at these World Championships in Milan. But the story isn’t over yet for the Portuguese contingent. João Ribeiro and Messias Baptista are set to defend their K2 500-meter title. Plus, star paddler Fernando Pimenta will be looking to secure another gold in the K1 1000-meter event.