Canoeist Fernando Pimenta dedicated the two marathon world titles won in Ponte de Lima “to the Portuguese”, for all the “support and affection” they have always given him.
“These days in Ponte de Lima were incredible, with thousands and thousands of people in support and affection that moved us. These two titles are for them”, said the Limiano, who was proclaimed world champion in the short race, this Thursday, and, this Sunday, in K2 in the long distance as a team with José Ramalho.
In a regatta accompanied by many thousands of people on the banks of the Lima River, Pimenta and Ramalho today completed 29,800 meters in 1:58:04.39 hours, beating the Spaniards Miguel Llorens and Alberto Plaza, seconds to 6.01 seconds, already Norwegian brothers Eivid and Amund Vold, third at 11.04.
“We led the entire race and responded to all the attacks. We passed all the tolls ahead. I think it was a perfect race and we completed it very well. Consecrating ourselves to the ecstasy of this wonderful crowd,” he said, rejecting the idea that the competition was “controlled”.
Pimenta admitted that he felt “some discomfort in his forearms and thighs” again, but remained calm. “Later, José had already told me that in the final sprint no one would beat us. We coordinated things very well, we made excellent tolls, where we could lose the races”, he highlighted.
The Lima canoeist recalled that he extended the season for a month and a half to be able to compete in Ponte de Lima, from where he starts with a total of 123 international medals, six of them world champion titles.
“I tried very hard, I was a professional, as I always was. I have a clear conscience that I gave my best. May this beautiful moment of national sport be recognized by the competent authorities. And tomorrow I can bury my grandfather…” he concluded.
Fernando Pimenta won gold in K2 with José Ramalho and also in the sprint, the same metal achieved in C1 in the long distance by the junior Beatriz Fernandes, who also won bronze in the sprint, open to all ages.
José Ramalho, in K1, got the only silver of the Portuguese team, which also celebrated the bronze of the juniors Ana Pereira and Joel Miranda, both in C1.
The Marathon World Cup brought together 890 canoeists from 36 countries in Ponte de Lima.
Source: TSF
