August 25, 2024, was a special day for Polish kayaking. During the world championships in Samarkand in Uzbekistan, Poles won two valuable medals in sprinting competitions. Oleksii Koliadych, born in Ukraine but representing Poland, won the gold medal in the 200-meter canoe, while Jakub Stepun won the silver medal in the kayak race over the same distance.
Oleksii Koliadych is the world champion in the C-1 200-meter competition
Oleksii Koliadych, who won the world champion title two years ago, had to settle for bronze last year. However, this year's competition brought him the desired return to the top. In the 200-meter canoe sprint, Koliadych showed excellent form and in the final phase of the race he definitely outpaced his rivals. Ultimately, the Pole defeated Spaniard Pablo Grana by almost half a second, which confirmed his dominance in this competition.
Silver Medal for Jakub Stepun
In addition to Koliadych's triumph, Polish fans could also rejoice in the silver medal of Jakub Stepun. The 23-year-old kayaker took second place in the 200-meter race, losing only to the Portuguese Messias Baptista. Stepun, who had previously won silver at the European Championships in Munich in the two-man competition, proved that he can also fight for the highest goals individually.
Poland on the Kayaking World Map
This year's world championships in Uzbekistan were held only in non-Olympic events, which does not diminish the successes of the Poles. The medals won by Koliadych and Stepun show that Polish canoeing is doing well, and our competitors are able to compete with the best in the world.
These successes emphasize the importance of the work Polish kayakers put into preparations and give hope for further triumphs in future competitions, including the Olympic Games.
Source: tvp sport
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