CANOE/KAYAK: Ken Wallace has turned back the clock in Szeged, Hungary, winning gold in the men’s K1 500 A final, the same event he won at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
CANOE/KAYAK: Ken Wallace has turned back the clock in Szeged, Hungary today, winning gold in the men’s K1 500 A final, the same event he won at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Nothing separated the Currumbin Creek star and Hungarian Bence Dombvari, with Wallace triumphing by just 0.01 seconds in a thrilling final at the first ICF World Cup for 2013.
The 29 year old was fifth at the half way mark, before powering home to clinch the gold in 1:39.14 ahead of Dombvari, with Czech paddler Daniel Havel finishing third, 0.14 seconds further back.
The win capped off a successful opening World Cup for Wallace, after finishing sixth in the men’s K1 1000 A Final on Saturday, and will give the veteran confidence heading into the next World Cup in Racice, Czech Republic, in less than a week’s time.
World Cup debutant Lachlan Tame was the only other Australian to feature on the final day, with the 24 year old NSWIS paddler finishing second in the men’s K1 500 B final and fourth in the K1 200 C final.
Earlier in the event, Ken’s younger sibling, Bernadette Wallace combined with Surf Life Saving star Naomi Flood to finish ninth in the women’s K2 500 A final, following an excellent performance in their heat on Friday.
The duo also contested the women’s K1 1000 event, with Flood placing fifth in the A final, while Wallace won the B final.
The quartet of Australian’s will now regroup and prepare for the second ICF World Cup which commences in Racice, Czech Republic this Friday.
Australian Canoeing
