Kayak Singles (K1), 1,000 metres, Men

There were several strong contenders for the Men’s K-1 1000 at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The reigning World Champion was René Poulsen of Denmark, who, since the London Games, was also the 2013 European Champion, 2014, 2015 and 2016 European runner-up, and the 2014 World bronze medallist. He had also won silver in the K2-1000 at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Equally decorated was Germany’s Max Hoff who, since his bronze medal from the London Games, had been World Champion in 2013, European Champion in 2015, European runner-up in 2013, and European bronze medallist in 2014. Portugal’s Fernando Pimenta, meanwhile, was the 2016 European Champion and the 2015 World and European bronze medallist. He was also a runner-up in the K2-1000 at the 2012 Games. Finally, Josef Dostál of the Czech Republic was the 2014 World Champion and 2015 World Runner up, and the 2013 European bronze medallist. He also had an Olympic medal from London: bronze in the K-4 1000.

Pimenta had the fastest time in the preliminaries, although he managed to edge out Hoff by only 0.445 seconds and Marcus Walz of Spain by 0.646 seconds. Poulsen and Dostál also won their heats and while all five survived to the final, none of them won their semifinal. That distinction went to Australia’s Murray Stewart, a 2012 Olympic Champion in the K-4 1000, and Russia’s Roman Anoshkin. This set the stage for an exciting final, which for much of the distance was led by Stewart, who had posted the fastest semifinal time. In the final quarter of the race, however, Walz shot ahead of Stewart in an impressive run that earned him a gold medal. Unable to maintain the pace, Stewart was then passed by Dostál and Anoshkin, who earned silver and bronze respectively, leaving the disappointed Australian in fourth. Dostál would go on to take bronze as part of the Czech Republic’s K-4 1000 team.