Charlotte Henshaw MBE became British paracanoeing’s first-ever double Paralympic champion as the Paris 2024 Games came to a historic conclusion.
Laura Sugar MBE followed her lead by brilliantly retaining her own title while Emma Wiggs MBE and Jack Eyers added silvers as the British team finished with a record-breaking tally of eight medals.
Charlotte led from start to finish on a blustery day to retain her women’s KL2 title, a day after winning the first ever VL3 crown, with Emma also handling the conditions superbly in the same final to claim a second medal of the Games herself with silver.
Laura silenced a partisan French crowd as she beat Nelia Barbosa to gold in the women’s KL3 for back-to-back Paralympic titles in the event, before debutant Jack Eyers came within the width of a paddle to victory in the men’s VL3 just being edged out and taking silver.
Hope Gordon was fifth behind Laura in the women’s KL3 final while Jeanette Chippington OBE, competing at her eighth Paralympic Games, and Ed Clifton, in contrast competing at his first, both finished seventh in the women’s KL1 and men’s VL2 respectively.
Golds for Charlotte and Laura and silvers for Emma and Jack saw the British paracanoeing team end the competition topping the table with a record-breaking eight medals, the greatest return from the sport’s three appearances at the Paralympic Games.
Charlotte said:
“We aim to be the dominant force in paracanoe. They were before I came onto the squad and we have been since I have been around. It is a mantra we’re really proud of.
“We know the rest of the world are getting better and coming for us but we relish that challenge of staying in front. I think we are seeing the rewards for that at this competition and hopefully moving forwards to LA.”
The women’s KL2 final was packed with drama as well as history as Charlotte Henshaw MBE and Emma Wiggs MBE claimed the British team’s second one-two on the lake at the Vaires-sur-Marne Stadium – and a repeat from Tokyo.
Much like her victory in the new women’s VL3, Charlotte powered out of the start and into the lead – one she wouldn’t relinquish as she navigated the windy conditions to scorch to a Paralympic Games Best of 49.07 and retain her title from Tokyo.
She added:
“That was a fight. It was probably the hardest 200m weather-wise that I have ever had to do at a major. It wasn’t pretty but I am really proud of how I managed to think quickly and draw on all my experience of watersports.
“I am so proud of us both for battling that and grateful that we got the job done.
“I can’t even believe that I won a gold yesterday and I am here with another one. It is beyond what I could imagine.
“It has been really special to give myself two goes of it and dream to be on the top step of the podium in both of them – I can’t believe that’s what’s happened, it’s great.”
As Charlotte was powering away, drama ensued behind her as Emma Wiggs MBE battled for a second medal herself.
Pushing into bronze, Emma handled the conditions superbly and capitalised as Hungarian Katalin Varga lost control after the halfway mark.
As Varga slowed, Emma – who retained her VL2 title 24 hours earlier for a third career Paralympic gold – roared past and ensured Anja Adler of Germany behind her didn’t upset another British one-two.
Emma said:
“I am so proud of every single athlete on the start line. A few years ago we wouldn’t have survived some of that weather – everyone should be so proud and I am incredibly shocked and blown away to get the silver.
“Varga has been right there and Charlotte is ahead of everybody and paddling really well – I was just hopeful that I could execute my race.
“I’m not quite sure I did that but my coach has got a smile on his face. I am so proud to get a gold three Games in a row, that’s pretty mind blowing and to pick up a silver is the icing on the cake.”
The loudest the packed crowd got was during the women’s KL3 final which saw Laura Sugar MBE and Hope Gordon up against the French home home Nelia Barbosa. The noise reached its peak off the start line as Barbosa took the lead.
Laura stuck to her task and by the halfway stage was clear ahead of her French rival. With the retention of the title she won back in Tokyo looming closer by the metre, Laura didn’t stop pushing and crossed first in a Paralympic Games best 46.66.
After Charlotte Henshaw MBE and Emma Wiggs MBE had already retained titles in Paris, Laura ensured it was a clean sweep.
She said:
“It hasn’t quite sunk in but I am really proud to get on the podium. We are well prepared for the conditions because we train in Nottingham but it is still a bit uneasy feeling because you would like it to be pan flat.
“Nelia [Barbosa] and I get on so well – she joined our training camp earlier on in the year. Obviously I wanted to win but I wanted her to do well too because it is a special occasion for her.
“I am really happy I got the win but happy she got on the podium. You always want to win, don’t you?
“I can’t double up and you have three, four years for 40 seconds, but I back myself on the line. We have done the work as a team and this is about going out and showing what you’re made of.”
The battle for medals behind Laura was fierce and Hope Gordon, a silver medalist in the VL3 at her first Summer Paralympics, raced valiantly to be in the mix.
It was too close to call for much of the race however she narrowly missed out on a second medal in fifth.
Hope said:
“It was a bit messy. I knew it was going to be a toughie – and that I am more likely going to be the only one who doubles up. I knew I was going to be a bit more tired than the other girls but I wanted to give it my all.
“It wasn’t the best race. The crosswind was a bit tricky but congratulations to all of the girls. Last year I came fourth in everything and my coach and I joked this year that it was either bronze or fifth, anything but fourth.
“I fell slightly on the wrong side of that but equally I know there is more to come in the future.”
For all the drama so far during the final session, the best was almost saved until last as Jack Eyers went in the men’s VL3 final. A notorious strong finisher, he wasn’t in the medals through the early metres – but that soon changed.
He powered into the lead after the halfway stage with just Vladyslav Yepifanov of the Ukraine for company. The pair were neck and neck as the finishing line approached, with it too close to call who had won.
Victory was handed to Yepifanov in a Paralympic Games Best of 47.49 – bettering Jack’s mark from the semi-finals earlier in the morning – with the Brit just 0.08 away for that gold medal.
He said:
“It was pretty epic. I was here this time last year for the test event and the conditions were very similar. I had a lot of things to work on and over the last 12 months I have worked on those crosswind conditions.
“The goal was always to start paracanoeing and become a Paralympian. I have done Europeans and World Championships and now a Paralympics. I’ve got the set.
“My family was in the crowd – including my daughter who is only three.
“She was probably a little overwhelmed by the crowd but for friends and family to be watching is special.”
Drawn on the far side of lake this time in lane one after a semi-final near the stands, Jeanette Chippington OBE battled valiantly in the women’s KL1 final as she rounded off her eighth Paralympic Games appearance.
The first of the British team to compete in finals action on the final day in Paris, Jeanette got out hard and pushed all the way throughout the 200m.
After an agonising fourth in the women’s VL2 final 24 hours later, she placed seventh in the KL1.
She said:
“I was extremely pleased to make the final, that was my No.1 goal. I am really pleased with my performance.
“I really am just so proud of myself. It’s hard to get to the Games and being here, it’s my eighth, it is just amazing.
“I take it in my stride a bit but even I have been thinking about how amazing it is and I am pretty proud of myself. It has taken the support of my friends and family.
“You have to be quite selfish at times and they have always been there for me – they are out here – and it’s amazing. They all get something from it as well, they have had an amazing time.”
Ed Clifton marked his Paralympic Games paracanoeing debut with an appearance in the men’s VL2 final, having had to navigate his way through the semi-finals.
He tackled the conditions with everything he had and also would place seventh at the Vaires-sur-marne Stadium.
He said:
“I am pleased with seventh but not that pleased with my performance. I have done a lot better in training and leading into it – I can’t complain but it could have been better. I have loved it out here.
“Everyone in the team has been so helpful and supportive, my preparation couldn’t have gone any better.
“I have now got four more years to put it together and hopefully come back stronger. I’ve had a taste for it now, I want to come back.”
Medal Tally
Gold [4]: Charlotte Henshaw MBE – Women’s VL3, Women’s KL2; Emma Wiggs MBE – Women’s VL2; Laura Sugar MBE – Women’s KL3
Silver [4]: Hope Gordon – Women’s VL3; Dave Phillipson – Men’s KL2; Emma Wiggs MBE – Women’s KL2; Jack Eyers – Men’s VL3