Fernando Pimenta wins European gold on home waters

Fernando Pimenta brought the European Sprint Canoe Championships to a memorable close on Sunday by winning gold in the K1 5,000 metres in Montemor-o-Velho, adding another chapter to one of the most remarkable careers in Portuguese sport.

Portugal’s greatest-ever canoeist launched a sustained sprint in the closing stages, withstood repeated attacks from his rivals and finished in 21min 09.116sec, crossing the line 0.539 seconds ahead of Norway’s Jon Vold and 0.986 seconds clear of Denmark’s Mads Pedersen.

The victory came just a day after Pimenta claimed bronze in the K1 1,000m, giving him two medals from the championships.

Pimenta’s latest triumph further cements his status as the leading figure in Portuguese canoeing and one of the most successful athletes in the nation’s sporting history. The gold medal was his fifth European title in the K1 5,000m, a discipline in which he has consistently excelled over more than a decade.

Competing in front of home supporters at Portugal’s High Performance Centre in Montemor-o-Velho, Pimenta delivered when expectations were at their highest. The venue, a historic hub for national and international canoeing, welcomed around 600 athletes from across Europe and returned to the spotlight after recovering from storm damage earlier this year.

Speaking after the race, the 36-year-old canoeist admitted the victory carried special significance.

“If there was one thing I wanted, it was to win in Portugal,” he said, describing the success as a fitting farewell to major international competitions on Portuguese soil. While he stressed he has no immediate plans to retire, he acknowledged that this may have been his last senior European Championship at home.

The athlete from Ponte de Lima also used the occasion to highlight the importance of mental health, dedicating the medal to men who struggle in silence.

“Men cry too and should not be afraid to seek help,” he said, calling for greater awareness and support.

Pimenta’s gold increased his tally of international medals to 183, underlining a longevity and consistency rarely seen in elite sport. Despite approaching his 37th birthday, he remains a fixture among the world’s best paddlers.

Portugal ended the championships with four medals in total: gold for Pimenta in K1 5,000m and Norberto Mourão in the VL2 200 para-canoe event, silver for Messias Baptista in K1 200m, and bronze for Pimenta in K1 1,000m.

With the World Championships in Poland later this summer, Portugal’s most decorated canoeist has once again shown that he remains a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.

Presidential praise

Following Portugal’s strong showing in Montemor-o-Velho, President António José Seguro congratulated the national team on securing four medals at the championships.

In a statement, he said the results had once again confirmed Portugal as one of Europe’s leading canoeing nations, paying particular tribute to Fernando Pimenta for adding gold and bronze to his already remarkable international record.

Seguro also praised the rapid recovery of Montemor-o-Velho’s High Performance Centre after storm damage earlier this year, highlighting the joint efforts of local authorities, the Portuguese Canoe Federation, volunteers and organisers in delivering a successful European Championship on home soil.

Source: Record/Diário de Notícias/Notícias ao Minuto