8
Table topping GB paracanoe team win seven medals in Tokyo
Great Britain ’ s paracanoe team delivered its best ever Paralympic performance at the Tokyo 2020 Games with three golds , a silver and three bronze medals , finishing on top of the paracanoe medal table with seven medals overall .
www . britishcanoeing . org . uk
Emma Wiggs becomes the most decorated Paralympic female paracanoe athlete
It was a history-making Games for
Emma Wiggs , who became the first ever Paralympic Champion in the new women ’ s Va ’ a VL2 event in a Paralympic Best time of 57.028 and Great Britain ’ s first canoeing double Paralympic Champion .
The following day Emma was back in action to defend her women ’ s KL2 Paralympic title from Rio 2016 . In another brilliant performance Emma claimed the silver medal , less than a second behind Charlotte Henshaw in a time of 51.409 to win her third Paralympic medal .
Emma transferred to paracanoe for the Rio cycle after competing in sitting volleyball at the London 2012 Games .
In two Paralympic Games , Emma has become the most decorated female paracanoe athlete with three medals and is the only female athlete to be a Paralympic Champion in the kayak and va ’ a events .
Super Saturday for Charlotte Henshaw and Laura Sugar
The women ’ s KL2 was a thrilling race as
Charlotte Henshaw clocked up a Paralympic Best time of 50.760 to take the gold medal , with team mate Emma Wiggs picking up silver to make it a GB 1-2 .
Charlotte , who has Paralympic silver and bronze medals in the swimming pool from the last two Games , completed the medal set in style with her first gold thanks to a sensational performance .
Since swapping the pool for the regatta lake at the National Water Sport Centre in Nottingham , Charlotte can now add the title of women ’ s KL2 Paralympic Champion to her three world titles .
Laura Sugar firmly landed on the world paracanoe stage by dominating the women ’ s KL3 final to claim the gold medal in another Paralympic Best time for the British team of 49.582 .
After competing in athletics in Rio 2016 , Laura has made an incredible transition from occasional recreational kayaker to Paralympic Champion .
Charlotte and Laura are both coached by Colin Radmore , who was interviewed by the Times about the benefits of the programme for talented athletes transferring to paracanoe from other sports .