25/07/2026
The first medal session of the 2026 Paddle Europe Junior and Under 23 Sprint Championships produced several historic moments and remarkable achievements.
Did you know?
Türkiye’s first individual medal
Rahmi Karahan made history by winning Türkiye’s first-ever medal in the Junior Men’s K1 1000 metres. It was also the country’s first individual medal at the European Junior and Under 23 Championships.
Türkiye had previously reached the podium in the Men’s K2 500 and K2 1000 metres, as well as in the Women’s K2 500 metres in 2025, but never before in an individual event.
Adam Rudolf joins an exclusive group
By winning the C1 Under 23 Men 1000 title, Czechia’s Adam Rudolf became only the second athlete to claim three consecutive European titles in this event.
He matched the achievement of Martin Fuksa and is now only one victory away from Fuksa’s record of four consecutive titles, set between 2012 and 2015. At just 22 years old, Rudolf will have the opportunity to equal that record in 2027.
Great Britain returns to the men’s podium
The bronze medal won by Tom Hatton and Samuel Dickson in the K2 Junior Men 1000 marked Great Britain’s return to the men’s podium at these championships after a seven-year absence.
The previous British men’s medals came in Račice in 2019, when Philip Miles won bronze in the K1 1000 metres and Daniel Atkins claimed gold in the K1 200 metres.
A European Best Time in the first Final A
The first Final A contested in Szeged immediately produced a new European Best Time.
Ivan Nekrasov of AIN-A won the K1 Junior Men 1000 in 3:32.230, improving the previous mark of 3:32.432, set by Denmark’s Rasmus Knudsen 10 yeares ago, in 2016. The race was held with a average wind speed of 2.2 m/s, coming from a cross-tailwind direction.