Emma builds on success in Tokyo with ninth world championship title

There was no rest for Emma following her medal-winning performances at this summer’s Paralympic Games in Tokyo, as the Paracanoe World Championships took place in Copenhagen last weekend (16 – 19 September).

Competing in the VL2 class – an event in which she won gold just a couple of weeks before in Tokyo – Emma dominated the field to defend her World Championship title, winning by 7.55 seconds to beat Russian Canoe Federation’s Mariia Nikiforova in silver, and Brazil’s Debora Benevides in third.

The following day saw a second 2021 World Championships medal for Emma, this time taking silver in the KL2 class and just behind British Canoeing teammate Charlotte Henshaw, as the pair repeated the result from Tokyo.

Speaking to British Canoeing after winning gold in the VL2 race, Emma said: “We haven’t had our usual prep into it because of the Paralympic Games, so I was a bit nervous about whether we could deliver with not ideal preparation but it just feels incredible to have been able to deliver it for Matt my coach.

“And actually to have some of my family out here was really amazing because obviously, they couldn’t come to Tokyo, so I feel like it’s rounded off the year quite nicely.”

For more information on British Canoeing’s successes in Copenhagen, visit https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/news.