Canoeist Fernando Pimenta admitted this Thursday that doing four disciplines in one day at the European Championships in Munich is a real test of the limits of his body, which he loves to do.
“It’s an overload. We know how risky it is, but we want to challenge the body. I know that I can lose everything, win nothing, but I have already completed four stages at the World Championships and I feel that we have gained respect. families of canoeists and people who understand sports,” he justified himself, having won three medals in Halifax, Canada.
In this European multisport, Pimenta competes in the K1 1000m and 500m finals, of which he has already secured the K2 1000m, against young Joao Duarte, with whom he will reach the semi-finals on Friday, having also a direct K1 5,000 final on Saturday.
“It’s really difficult. After K2, my second 1000m race today, I was already thinking about the challenge I would face. But hey, I’m an athlete and we’re a team that loves that kind of challenge.” , completed.
Pimenta recalled that this is a “year of risk”: “We can risk not winning anything or winning something. Passport to Paris 2024.
Now the focus of the limiano is “to have a good night and get as much rest as possible”, elaborating that its most immediate opponents have fewer competitions, but this is not an “excuse”: “Things can get even better”.
The rest of the Portuguese crews did not guarantee a direct final, leaving that opportunity to the semi-finals, which usually allocate three places in the medal race.
Teresa Portela said she felt “much better” than at the World Championships in Canada, where she was 10th in the K1500, and her discussion of first place with world runner-up Croatian Anamaria Govorchinovic boosted ” self confidence”. ” to the semi-finals and K1 200, which will also play on Friday.
Messias Baptista ensured that the K2 500 with João Ribeiro gave “everything” for a straight run, however Slovakia were “stronger” in the test, in which the Portuguese duo gave “the maximum”.
“In the semi-finals, it doesn’t matter who our opponent is. We want to take one of three places. Today was a strange event, we still get the best feeling,” added João Ribeiro.
Franziska Laja said that in her qualifying, a place in the final was “already secured” for the K2 500 world champion from Poland, but she promised to “always give her best” in the search for a corresponding result in the first race in five years in which she is teamed with Olympic champion Joana Vasconcelos.
“We feel very good. We have some corn. I became a mom five months ago and only started training two months ago. Our goal is to prepare for the future and Olympic qualification” at the 2023 World Championships,” added Joana. Vasconcelos.
Also Olympian Helder Silva will try to last longer in the C1 500, remembering that his specialty is the 200 meters, which, however, is no longer Olympic in favor of a longer distance.
The second European Multisport Championship takes place in Munich until Sunday and brings together nine sports, seven of which represent Portugal, namely athletics, canoeing, cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, rowing, table tennis and triathlon.
So far, the Portuguese team has won three medals: two gold medals for Pedro Pablo Pichardo in triple jump and Yuri Leitao in scratch track and one silver medal for Oriol Dongmo in shot put.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
