KIMBERLEY Woods won a brilliant bronze for Team GB in the women’s kayak at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Woods, from Rugby, put down a clean run of 98.94 seconds in the final to sit second in the standings behind Australian Jessica Fox.
With two paddlers still to go, her medal hopes hung in the balance, as Poland’s Klaudia Zwolinska moved into the silver medal position pushing Woods into third.
However, reigning Olympic champion Ricarda Funk racked up a 50-second penalty on her run to ensure Woods claimed a first-ever Olympic medal.
Woods said: “It feels absolutely incredible to win Olympic bronze. Knowing all the hard work I’ve put in, my coach has put in. All the support from friends, family, just everyone.
“I feel so proud to have won this medal for Team GB. I didn’t know how my time would sit as I threw my paddle. But I did know I’d put down a run I was really happy. Really pleased I paddle as who I wanted to be.
“There was a bit of a nervous wait. I couldn’t watch the last two paddlers. I had my head in my hands. I heard the crowd and my team surrounded me.
“I’ve got a medal round my neck and I’m so happy.
“It shows I’ve got so much strength. I’m so proud of who I’ve been the last three years since Tokyo. Getting to the finish line and being proud of the run I put together.”
Many paddlers struggled to navigate the technically challenging course through the new configuration of 23 gates at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
However, after finishing 12th in the qualifying heats, Woods went into the semi-final with impressive boat speed and a clean run to record the fastest time of 99.87 seconds.
As the first competitor to go under 100 seconds, the 28-year-old secured her place in a second Olympic individual kayak final, qualifying in third place behind Germany’s Funk and Poland’s Zwolinska.
In the final, Australia’s Jessica Fox set the standard with a clean run of 96.08.
Woods, who finished in 10th place at the 2020 Tokyo Games, came out of the blocks fast, negotiating the difficult gate two which caught so many paddlers out.
A quick exit from gate seven and across to the upstream gate eight saw the Rugby Canoe Club athlete in contention for the medals.
A fast midsection and spinning clean through 15 and 16, Woods held her composure superbly to fight back through the upstream gate 17.
A strong finish saw Woods go into second place with an improved time of 98.94.
A nail biting finale saw Zwolinska move into the silver medal position. But a missed gate and 50 second penalty for Funk, the last competitor on the course, secured a brilliant bronze medal for Woods.
Woods’ bronze is Great Britain’s first Olympic medal in the women’s K1 event since Athens 2004.
Coached by Craig Morris at Lee Valley White Water Centre, Kimberley will be back in action in the kayak cross, which starts with the time trials on Friday, August 2.
