Woods selected for GB canoe squad for 2024 Olympics
Kimberley Woods, a British slalom canoeist, has been selected for the Great Britain canoe squad for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Woods, who has competed at the international level since 2011, will have two chances to win a medal in Paris, as she will compete in both the kayak (K1) and the canoe (C1) events. Woods is one of the 12 athletes who have been named in the squad, which is described as “exceptional” by Paul Ratcliffe, the British Canoeing performance director.
Woods, who is 28 years old, has had a successful career in both disciplines, winning multiple medals at the World and European Championships. She also won two gold medals at the 2023 World Championships in London, in the C1 team event and the kayak cross event, which will make its Olympic debut in Paris. Woods said she was “over the moon” to be selected for the squad and that she was looking forward to representing her country at the Olympics.
Woods hopes to bounce back from Tokyo disappointment
Woods, who made her Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020, had a disappointing performance in the K1 event, finishing last in the final. She said she was “heartbroken” by the result and that she had to “compose herself” for the kayak cross event, where she won her first individual world title. Woods said she learned a lot from the Tokyo experience and that she was determined to improve her performance in Paris.
“I think Tokyo was a massive learning curve for me. I think I put too much pressure on myself and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have. I think Paris will be different. I think I will be more relaxed and more confident in my abilities. I think I have a lot of potential to do well in both events and I’m really excited to show that,” Woods said.
Woods faces tough competition in Paris
Woods will face a strong field of competitors in Paris, especially in the C1 event, which was introduced for women for the first time in Tokyo. Woods will have to contend with the likes of Mallory Franklin, her British teammate who won the silver medal in Tokyo and the gold medal in the 2023 World Championships, Jessica Fox, the Australian who won the gold medal in Tokyo and is considered the best female slalom canoeist of all time, and Ricarda Funk, the German who won the gold medal in the K1 event in Tokyo and is also a former world champion in the C1 event.
Woods said she was not intimidated by the competition and that she was confident in her own skills. She said she was working hard to improve her technique and consistency in both events and that she was aiming for the podium in Paris.
“I think the competition is really high in both events, but I think that’s good for me. It pushes me to be better and to challenge myself. I think I have a lot of strengths in both events and I think I can be competitive with anyone. I think the key for me is to be consistent and to execute my runs well. I think if I do that, I can be in the mix for the medals,” Woods said.
Woods praises GB canoe squad for 2024 Olympics
Woods said she was proud to be part of the GB canoe squad for the 2024 Olympics, which she said was “exceptional” and “diverse”. The squad includes six men and six women, who will compete in four events: K1, C1, kayak cross and extreme slalom. The squad also features Joseph Clarke, the 2016 Olympic champion in the K1 event, who won two gold medals at the 2023 World Championships, Adam Burgess, the 2020 Olympic silver medalist in the C1 event, and Bradley Forbes-Cryans, the 2020 Olympic finalist in the K1 event.
Woods said the squad had a lot of talent and experience and that they supported each other well. She said she was looking forward to training and competing with them in the lead-up to Paris.
“I think we have an amazing squad for Paris. We have a lot of depth and quality in all the events and we have a lot of experience as well. We have a lot of Olympic medalists and world champions in the squad and we also have some young and exciting talents. I think we have a great balance and a great team spirit. We all get along really well and we help each other out. I think we have a lot of potential to do well in Paris and I can’t wait to be part of it,” Woods said.
