Wiggs and Henshaw paddle to World Para-canoe titles
Emma Wiggs switched to Para-canoe after competing in sitting volleyball the 2012 Paralympics
- Published
Britain's Emma Wiggs and Charlotte Henshaw both won gold on the opening day of finals at the Para-canoe World Championships in Hungary.
Paralympic champion Wiggs won the VL2 event, claiming her 12th world title after finishing just over a second and a half clear of Canada's Brianna Hennessy.
"I’m delighted to win gold," said the 43-year-old. "The run was really good and went to plan and this is a great benchmark for the season."
Henshaw got the better of team-mate Hope Gordon to win the VL3 title, clocking 56.80 seconds with Gordon just 0.11secs back in an event which will make its Paralympic debut in Paris later this year.
"Myself and Hope have had some real battles over the years and it’s pleasing to see that is continuing," said Henshaw, 37, who won KL2 gold in Tokyo in 2021 after a successful career as a swimmer.
"We have strength in depth and it means you can't rest up at national races as we've got the best in the world against us."
Elsewhere, Dave Phillipson won silver in the men's KL2 final to secure GB a Paris quota place in the event.
"All the hard work I put in over the winter came through there," he said.
“I had extra pressure on me after missing out on last year’s World Championships final, so to win the medal and secure the quota place, I’m over the moon."