Defending champions Bence Nádas and Bálint Kopasz kicked off their 500-meter two-person kayak race at the World Olympic Qualifying Canoe and Kayak Championships in Duisburg.
The Hungarian duo – who must finish in the top six in order to collect a quota or stakes for Hungary at next year’s Paris Games – were already in front at half distance in Thursday’s first session, finally pushing their opponents confidently behind them. With her success in the preliminary race, she, like the other boats, entered the middle race.
“We got in the boat with Balint and the emotions of last year came to the fore. We moved really well together, built the track the same way as before and luckily we didn’t have to push at the end. I think we saved a lot of energy for the following days.” – said Pence Nadas to Hungarian journalists, who will fight for the Olympic stakes with the four on Friday.
The Olympic 1000m individual champion Palin Kobach reminded that they only managed to prepare for the World Cup together for three weeks, and he feels they are doing very well.
“I hope we can be better in the middle race. For now, I will humbly say that we are aiming for one goal against six, but if there is a good form on the day of the final, a podium is not out of the question.” – said the rival from Gyuri.
Prior to Nadacek, kayaker Ana Lucz and canoeist Viraj Bala had started in the 200 and 500-meter individual events, respectively, and these figures were not included in the program for the Five Hoops.
Luke, a bronze medalist at last year’s World Cup, finished third in his first race behind his Polish and Canadian rivals, but since he couldn’t make it to the final straight, he can continue in the middle race like his rivals. Bala, who was fighting for a Parisian quota in the 200m, had a chance to miss the second round in the long run, which he had to finish among the top three, but he finished fifth, so he could also fight for the Get a place in the top nine of the middle race.
On the second morning of the competition, the Hungarians will be interested in five more races – including two Olympic ones: the stakes duo of David Koresanski and Adam Fikett in the C-2, and the duo of Sara Vogt and Noemi. Bob will take to the water in the K-2 500m heats, while the Bragato quad of Giada, Zofia Csurba, Rika Opawski and Bianca Nagy, as well as Kencho Takac, Jonathan Hajdu and the mixed pair of Luke and Mark Opawski will take to the water. They also start their performance at half a kilometer.
In each of the just-started numbers, the intermediate races will be held on Saturday and the finals on Sunday.
Later
Intermediate races 200, 500 and 1000 meters 14.00
Friday
Intermediate races 200 and 500 meters 10.00
Special Finals at 12:30 noon
Finals 200 and 500 meters 2.30 pm
Saturday
200, 500 and 1000m finals 10.54
200, 500 and 500 meters mixed intermediate races 15.00
Sunday
Paragraph Finals 11.00
200m, 500m, 1000m and 500m mixed final 11.28
5000m finals 14.04
Cover Photo:
Duisburg, Aug. 24, 2023. Bence Nadas (B) and Balint Kobach in the men’s kayak heats double 500m at the World Olympic Canoe Championships in Duisburg on Aug. 24, 2023. MTI/Tamas Kovacs
