Charlotte Henshaw and Laura Sugar both earned golds on a glittering Saturday of action at the 2025 Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships in Milan.
Henshaw was first to strike gold, as she powered to victory in the KL2 200m before Sugar followed less than 10 minutes later in the KL3 200m.
Sugar was joined on the podium by compatriot Hope Gordon, who took bronze.
Ed Clifton also earned bronze in the VL2 200m to earn his first medal at a World Championships on a memorable day for Great Britain in Italy.
Henshaw’s gold was her 11th world title but the three-time Paralympic champion admitted her main focus was simply enjoying being on the world stage.
“That was tough,” she said. “I had so much fun and that was my goal coming into the competition, to enjoy it.
“When I get out there, there is a racer in me. It is a real family and it is a privilege to still be out there racing.”
Sugar and Gordon then followed her onto the podium swiftly after in an enthralling KL3 200m final.
Back-to-back Paralympic champion Sugar struck clear to take victory by over a second, while Gordon finished in a dead heat with Felicia Laberer to share bronze with the German.
“That was a really tough race,” said Sugar. “I didn’t know how it was going to feel, because I have done a few less 200s this year.
“I was really nervous before that and it’s been a really tough year. I like racing so I had a little word with myself on the start line, I just went ‘just go for it’.
“I didn’t think this would happen even a couple of weeks ago.”
Gordon was forced to push all the way to clinch her place on the podium, and the Scot emotionally dedicated her medal to her hometown in the Highlands.
“This medal is for my community back home, back in Rogart,” she said. “I am very proud of where I’m from.
“Our community has had some terrible news over the past couple of weeks with the tragic loss of a friend who I grew up with and went to school with.
“It’s a reminder to not take anything for granted, this one’s for them. Hopefully it will inject a little bit of positivity back into the community.”
The first medal of the day went to Clifton, who earned bronze in the VL2 200m.
It was the 39-year-old’s first world medal, and the Chelmsford-born paddler is keen for more success after also earning European silverware earlier in the year.
“It feels like the work we’ve been doing in the winter paid off,” he said.
“Hopefully there is still a bit more to come as well, with a bit more work.”
Xander Van der Poll finished seventh in the VL2 200m, while Jack Eyers finished ninth in the VL3 200m A final.
“I was not expecting to be here,” said Van der Poll, who reached his first international final.
“I am so grateful for everyone that has given me the opportunity. I am really excited to see what we can do next year.”
Elsewhere, Tom Lambert finished seventh in the men’s C1 1000m B final, while Beth Gill took fourth in the women’s C1 500m B final.
Dan Johnson earned second place in the men’s K1 1000m C final, while Stuart Wood also took second in the men’s VL3 200m B final.
The morning session also saw a number of semi-finals take place, with Emily Lewis booking her place in the women’s K1 200m A final with a third-place finish in the second race.
Robert Oliver and Jonathan Young both progressed to the B final in the men’s KL3 200m, while Thomas Lusty will compete in the C final in the men’s K1 500m.
Kristina Armstrong and Deborah Kerr did not progress in the women’s K2 500m after finishing seventh, while Beth Gill also did not progress in the women’s C1 200m.