The six Portuguese crews who made their debut at the Canoe World Championships in Germany this Wednesday have progressed to the semi-finals, with many more trying to do the same in Duisburg this afternoon.
In the Olympic trials, the only team that could have skipped this stage to advance to the final was the women’s K4 500 meters, but Francisca Laia, Teresa Portela, Joana Vasconcelos and Maria Rei failed to get the only contested spot and fell. to fifth position.
The Portuguese quartet finished third at the halfway point, but after a less successful second half dropped to fifth and now, in the semi-finals, on Friday, they will have a strong challenge to secure one of three places for the final . , which takes place four hours later, against the Australian, New Zealand and Mexican, among others.
With more boats in the race, the men’s K4 500 did not have access to a direct berth for the medal race. He finished in fourth place, but was closer to first than usual in the post-Tokyo2020, which saw him finish eighth.
On Friday, Lithuania, Ukraine, Italy, Denmark and New Zealand will be the main rivals that will reach one of the top three positions: the top 10 in the world will qualify for Paris 2024, as long as they integrate four continents, so it is advisable to stay as low as sixth.
In addition, Fernando Pimenta won his non-Olympic K1 500m round, contesting the K1 1,000 round at the end of the day, while young Beatriz Fernandes placed third in the C1-200m and also progressed to the’ socks’.
In adapted canoeing, Alex Santos and Floriano Jesus competed in different series, in which the three strongest advanced to the final, but both finished in fourth place, so on Friday they will be side by side in the single semifinal, with the last three places for the medal race.
The World Championships in Germany bring together around 2,000 canoeists from 95 countries.
Source: DN
