Jonah Hanrahan won his first international medal, winning the kayak cross bronze, on the final day of competition at the Junior & U23 Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross World Championships in Liptovsky, Slovakia.
With 16 athletes on the water today in both age groups it was a busy day for the British team.
It had originally looked like Jonah had missed a spot in the final, after he crossed the line in third place in a very physical semi-final where he went paddle to paddle with Merle Long of Australia. But he was upgraded to second place after fault was given to Long at the end of the race.
In the final, Jonah got a good start but following a four-way pile up at gate one, he sat in fourth place.
He picked up a place by the roll zone and found himself alone at up gate 6 to stay out of trouble and cross the line in the bronze medal position.
Jonah said: “That was the best way to finish the weekend!
“It wasn't the tidiest way to win a medal but that's the best thing that could have happened.
“It was really tiring with such a packed schedule. I got to the roll zone and, with half of the course still to go, my arms were burning but the adrenaline really kept me going.
“I was slower than I'd have liked in the time trial but my racing was better this year and I stayed focused all the way – you never know in kayak cross where you'll finish. I twice thought I was knocked out but they were awarded faults so I was delighted to get into the final.
“The medal just topped the weekend off and I'm looking forward to going to the European Champs and hopefully doing better in my kayak events there.”
In the same event, Gwion Williams was unlucky to be eliminated in the quarter-finals. He was in second place but had a physical battle with eventual winner, Spain's Clotet, who forced a fault and he was knocked out to place 14th in the overall standings.
Oscar Wyllie of Breadalbane qualified through the time trials but was third in his first head to head heat and eliminated, finishing in 19th place. Scott Ritchie (Pinkston Panthers) was 81st overall
In the Junior women's event, Lee Valley's Arina Konchakov was the highest finisher in sixth place overall. Arina showed real grit throughout the rounds to qualify for the semi-finals. In the penultimate gate of her semi-final run, she almost regained the required second place spot but despite a strong finish, she cross the line in third place.
She was joined in the knockout stages by clubmate Darcey McMullins who made it to the quarter-finals before she was eliminated. She finished in 11th place.
Both Sofia Alfer (Wydean) and Sadie Sterry (Llandysul) were knocked out in their first head to head heat, finishing in 18th and 27th place respectively.
In the U23 kayak cross, 2023 world bronze medallist Jonny Dickson was awarded a fault which knocked him out in the semi-final stages.
Having progressed smoothly through the rounds, his competitors stifled his speed and there was no way through for the CR Cats paddler in a physical battle for the top two spots.
Thomas Mayer (Stafford and Stone) had a lifetime best performance. He progressed to the quarter-finals but a fault at the start meant he settled for third place.
Ben Haylett and Sam Leaver raced in the time trials but sadly didn't progress to the knockout rounds and they finished in 23rd and 52nd respectively.
Katherine Shattock (Taunton) had a lifetime best finish position in the U23 Women’s kayak cross, making it all the way to the semi-finals in the U23 women's event.
Looking relaxed at the start of her semi-final she took gate one really well to gain some ground on her competitors but a clash with France's Emma Vuitton followed by a tangle of paddles with Kneblova of Czechia.
She was forced to paddle back to gate six which put the final out of touch. She ultimately finished in fourth place in the semi-final and 8th overall, her best ever placing.
The U23 K1 World Champion Lois Leaver had a target on her back in the kayak cross, with opposition tactics seemingly set to block her way.
Lois fought hard into the quarter-finals, but in that race she was blocked on gate six by Japan's Nagasu in a move which saw them both eliminated. Lois finished in 13th place overall, an improvement on her 2023 placing of 17th.
Ellis Miller (Lee Valley) was knocked out in her head to head heat to finish in 17th place overall and Macy Kang (Holme Pierrepont) 34th place overall.
The full results from the day can be found here.