Romanian athlete Catalin Chirila won the gold medal during the 1,000 m canoe event, on Sunday, during the Kayaking World Championships in Halifax (Canada).
Chirila (CSA Steaua) was timed at 4 min 14 sec 28/100, after registering the best time in the series, 3 min 59 sec 40/100. The Romanian passed the Olympic champion Isaquias Santos, from Brazil (4:15.80), and the Czech Martin Fuksa (4:16.21) in the top 3.
Trained by Florin Popescu and Petre Kondrat, Chirila also won the silver medal in the 500 m canoe event in Halifax, making this his most important medal of his career.
Cătălin handled this race exceptionally well and the dream of returning the singles canoe to the world elite came true, according to the Romanian Olympic Committee (COSR).
After Aurel Macarencu’s gold in 1986, it is the first gold in C1 1000m for Romania. Ivan Patzaichin twice, in 1973 and 1977, and Simion Ismailciuc, in 1963, are the only Romanians who have won gold in this event.