Britain’s U23 and Junior sprint athletes were back in international action as they contested the World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Coming into the competition off the back of a successful European Championships where the team won two medals, there were further great displays from the team on the opening day of racing.
Fresh from being crowned U23 European Champions last month, Zoe Clark (Royal) and Kristina Armstrong (Scottish Performance Squad) were back in the K2W 500m boat where they’ve excelled this season.
After securing their first gold last month, the duo booked a semi-final place once again this week, combining strongly to put down a time of 1:53.429 and ease through to the next stage in fifth.
Earlier in the day, Clark had her individual race to contest as she lined up in the U23 women’s K1 1000m.
Backing up an A Final place at the Euros, the Royal athlete finished second in her heat to take a semi-final place, only seconds off the top spot.
Narrowly missing out on the medal in Bratislava, Tom Lambert (Lincoln) returned to the U23 men’s C1 1000m.
It was another solid run from Lambert, only needing a top six place to progress, as the Lincoln paddler finished fourth in a time of 4:12.931.
Continuing her 2024 form, Reading’s Annabel Hutchinson put down an impressive display in the junior women’s K1 1000m.
Lining up in the heats, Hutchinson looked strong in pursuit of a semi-final place as she finished second in 4:16.769
Philippe Ehrnrooth (Devizes) put down a strong opening run of his competition to secure Friday’s junior K1M 500m semi-finals. A time of 1:47.654 placed him third as he looked to hunt down the top spot.
The U23 men’s K4 500m crew of Phil Miles (Royal Leamington Spa), Xavier Hinves (Southampton), Dylan O’Connor (Richmond), and Benji Cabrera (Fowey) got proceedings underway as they progressed to tomorrow’s semi-final.
Powering down the course in 1:24.780, the crew finished third and safely booked their place in the next round.
Hinves and O’Connor also combined during the afternoon session in the U23 K2M 500m heats, with the pair finishing fifth in a time of 1:38.443. The result sees them race the next round on Friday.
In the junior event, Nelson Kinzler (Richmond) and Huw Singleton (Nottingham) will also race K2 500m semi-finals. The duo’s time of 1:39.178 placed them fourth, with the top five progressing.
A seventh-place heats finish from Owen Chisholm (Richmond) will see him contest Friday’s junior C1 men’s 1000m semi-finals, after posting a time of 4:34.955.