The European title was the only one missing from his record.
After Olympic gold, won in Rio in 2016, and the world title, acquired in 2011 in Bratislava (Slovakia), Denis Gargaud Chanut won this Sunday the European Championships in the single-seater canoe event (C1).
Fifth time in the semi-finals, the 33-year-old céiste achieved a flawless finish in the final, to win ahead of the Slovakian Matej Benus and the German Sideris Tasiadis.
In the same event, the young Nicolas Gestin, 21, took fifth place.
He was participating here in his first senior European Championships.
What a Final!
Denis Gargaud Chanut (C1H) crowned European Champion 2021 🇫🇷 # Ivrea2021
📸 FFCK / A. COURTOIS pic.twitter.com/2EvrvanNU4
- FFCK (@FF_CanoeKayak) May 9, 2021
“Like that, the circle is closed.
I am really very happy with this.
I see it as a reward, even if I don't know what I'm rewarded for, ”said the Frenchman.
Because despite this good form demonstrated at the start of the season, with a title of champion of France acquired two weeks ago and now the European coronation, Denis Gargaud Chanut should not participate in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Predicted by Martin Thomas last October during the selections, he must be satisfied with the status of replacement.
Martin Thomas himself had a difficult competition, only 28th in qualifying and eliminated in the semi-finals.
While the women of the France team won the bronze by team in canoe, Denis Gargaud-Chanut won here the only French individual medal of the competition. And despite the frustration of his non-qualification for Tokyo, the Pau does not intend to stop there. He is already aiming for the next Olympic Games. “I can go to Paris in 2024, but the other French people are very strong, we'll see how it goes,” he admitted.
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