Jenna’s titanic tussle claims bronze at canoe world champs
Every time I dropped off, I had to work really hard to catch back up.
By Kyle Gilham
Toti’s Jenna Ward launched a late charge to surge to a memorable K1 U23 women’s bronze medal on the opening day of the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Gyor, Hungary on Friday, 11 September to replicate her third place feat at the same event in Oklahoma, USA last year.
With Hungarian star Vanda Kiszli having made a decisive move as early as the start of the second lap that ultimately handed the powerful local her second consecutive U23 women’s world title, Jenna was left to deal with a titanic tussle for the remaining two medal positions.
A strong final portage handed Italy’s Susanna Cicali the silver medal however, after biding her time well throughout, the Kingsway High School past pupil powered her way through the short final lap to come from behind and edge out Noémi Miskó of Hungary for bronze.
“There were so many times when I just wanted to stop,” said a relieved Jenna afterwards.
“That was one of the hardest races I’ve ever had to race, but it’s not over until the end and I knew I had to keep fighting right until the finish.
I was absolutely exhausted the whole way and every time I got out for the portages, I thought that was when I was going to fall off the group, but when I got back in the other side, I managed to get a second wind.
Every time I dropped off, I had to work really hard to catch back up, but I trained to come from behind, so I knew I was well prepared and it paid off right at the end.”
Jenna’s fellow U23 women’s paddler, Kerry Segal, also of Toti, clinched a hard-fought 14th place finish.
