Mallory Franklin and Benjamin Savsek reclaim individual world titles after six-year wait while 24 Olympic quotas in C1 are confirmed
The British and Slovenian canoeists last stood on top of the C1 podium at the 2017 Canoe Slalom World Championships and made perfect runs to take back their crowns.
Mallory Franklin delivered a perfect final run to reclaim gold after a six-year wait and lead Great Britain to a one-two on the women’s C1 podium at the 2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships on Friday (22 September).
Fellow British canoeist Kimberley Woods came second in front of the home crowds in Lee Valley, while the Olympic champion in the event, Jessica Fox, finished with a bronze.
The Australian had the fastest run in the final, but picked up two penalty points, which cost her the gold.
Franklin last enjoyed an individual world title, also in women's C1, in 2017 and was elated to return to the top of the podium. Three days prior the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist also won the C1 team title together with Woods and Ellis Miller, which marked her third gold medal in the team event.
In the men's final, Slovenia's Benjamin Savsek took the gold with a convincing lead over silver medallist Nicolas Gestin of France and bronze medallist Paolo Ceccon of Italy.
Like Franklin, Savsek won the C1 event at the 2017 Worlds, but has not been able to reach the same position since.
The victory in Lee Valley is the latest proof that Savsek is getting better with age. The late bloomer picked up his first Olympic medal, a gold, at Tokyo 2020 on a third try at the age of 34.
Road to Paris 2024: More Olympic quotas secured
The top 12 athletes in the men's and women's C1 events also earned quotas for their National Olympic Committees.
In addition to Great Britain and Australia, the women's quotas went to Andorra, Brazil, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine and the United States.
The men's quotas went to Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United States,
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.