Portuguese canoeist Fernando Pimenta admitted on Monday that 13 medals in major international events in 2023, including the gold in the Olympic K1 1000m World Cup, make this one of his “best seasons ever”.
“It is without a doubt one of my best seasons ever. The only thing I missed was the European title, but I also did not have my specialty. I won a medal in every competition I participated, even if it was not my thing .” specialty. [maratonas]. I must be super happy”the canoeist from Limiano, who arrived in Portugal on Monday, told the Lusa agency.
At the European Games in Krakow, Poland, which served as the European Championship, the lake where the event took place was not large enough to host the K1 1000 and 5000 meters events, so these were not held, exceptional and unprecedented in the history of the sport.
In addition, in the 14 challenges he competed in this season, the Olympic double medalist only missed the podium of the K1 5000 meters of the first World Cup, in Hungary, “because the rudder broke” and had to give up.
“I can’t remember many athletes medaling at World Championships in different distances and categories, in the marathon and in the sprint, with only a week and a half in between. I’m very happy with the work, it worked out perfectly”welcome.
Pimenta, who appeared on the podium 136 times, remembers that at the end of the specific work he did for the World Speed Championships in Duisburg, Germany, where he won his third title in the Olympic K1 1.000, he stayed with his coach, Hélio Lucas, train a little more to shine equally at the Marathon World Championships.
“Luckily I was able to renew the two titles I won in Portugal in 2022. I am very happy. It was without a doubt one of my best seasons ever,” he concluded, referring to the gold in the short race and in K2 in the long distance, together with José Ramalho.
In total, the 34-year-old Pimenta won five gold, six silver and two bronze medals in 2023.
Fernando Pimenta only has to fulfill his dream: winning the Olympic gold medal, after silver in London 2012 on the K2 1,000 meters with Emanuel Silva and bronze in Tokyo 2020 on the K1,000.
Fernando Pimenta Medals in 2023:
SPEED
World Cup in Duisburg, Germany
Gold: K1 1000 meters
Silver: K1 5000
Bronze: K1 500
European Games/European Championship in Krakow, Poland
Silver: K1 500
(There was no test of Q1 1000 or Q1 5000)
World Cup in Szeged, Hungary
Gold: K1 500
Silver: k1 1000
Mixed Bronze K2 500 (with Teresa Portela)
World Championship Poznan, Poland
Gold: Mixed K2 500 (Teresa Portela)
Silver: K1 1000
Silver: K1 500
Silver: K1 5000
MARATHONS
World Championship in Vejen, Denmark
Gold: K1 short race
Gold: K2 (with José Ramalho)
Source: DN
