Kayak Singles, 1,000 metres, Men

Like the men’s K-1 500, the results of the men’s K-1 1000 at the last three World Championships had been inconsistent, with Hungary’s Ferenc Csipes, victor in 1985 and runner-up in 1986 and 1987, being the only competitor to win more than one medal over the last three years. America’s Greg Barton was the reigning World and Pan-American Champion, as well as the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist, while New Zealand’s Alan Thompson was the defending Olympic champion. Barton and Csipes won their opening heats, while Thompson was fourth in a heat won by Gunnar Olsson of Sweden and advanced only through the repêchage. Barton and Olsson again won their heats in the semi-finals, while East Germany’s André Wohllebe defeated Csipes and helped eliminate Thompson in a third heat. Csipes led the race for most of the course, with Australia’s Grant Davies putting forth a surprisingly strong effort to remain at his side, but he struggled in the final stretch and faded all the way to the back of the pack. Barton, meanwhile, had unleashed a powerful drive and passed Davies to win by the slimmest of margins: 0.01 seconds. This was the United States’ first Olympic gold medal in canoeing since Frank Havens’ victory in the C-1 10000 in 1952. The Australian thus settled for silver, while Wohllebe took bronze 0.27 seconds later. Barton would become a double Olympic champion later that day by winning the K-2 1000, while Wohllebe would take another bronze medal in the K-4 1000.

Frenchman Philippe Boccara was considered a medal contender and qualified for the final. However, the final of the K2 event took place first and Boccara and his partner, Pascal Boucherit arrived late for the start and were disqualified. In fact, they were disqualified for the entire Seoul canoeing regatta, which meant that Boccara could not start in the K1 final. He was replaced in the final by New Zealander Alan Thompson, who placed sixth.