Paris Olympics 2024: Australian sprint paddlers Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen claim bronze
Australian paddlers Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen have been unable to defend their K2 Olympic crown, finishing third in the canoe sprint final.
The pair claimed gold in the K2 event in Tokyo, however the 1000m event was replaced by a 500m race in Paris.
Despite setting an Olympic record in the semi-final earlier on Friday, Green and South African-born van der Westhuyzen couldn’t catch the German pair of Max Lemke and Jacob Schopf.
Hungary’s Sandor Totka and Bence Nadas won silver.
If the Australians were able to repeat their semi-final time of one minute 26.85 seconds in the medal race, they would have taken gold.
Camera IconJean van der Westhuyzen and Tom Green couldn’t match the pace of Germany in the K2 medal race. (Iain McGregor/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP
New Zealand legend Lisa Carrington claimed her seventh Olympic gold, linking with Alica Hoskin to win gold in the women’s K2 500m.
Having being a part of the K4 Olympic champion crew on Thursday, the Kiwis again blew the field apart to win by 2.11 seconds from Hungary, with a tie for bronze between Germany and a second Hungary crew.
Those three crews had a lengthy wait for a decision after a photo finish, with just 0.05 seconds splitting them.
Australia’s Aly Bull and Ella Beere crossed the line in seventh.
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