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Hemmings & Gilby secure second Gold

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Rob Burgess 03 September 2001

GREAT BRITAIN'S Anna Hemmings followed up her Gold medal in the single kayak on Saturday by partnering Helen Gilby to victory in the kayak doubles on Sunday as the 9th Canoe Marathon World Championships drew to a close in Stockton.

Hemmings and Gilby faced a strong challenge from the Hungarian pair of Renata Csay and Kornelia Szonda - Csay had won the title for the past two years and Szonda had won a Silver medal at last year's championships.

Having trailed the Hungarian duo for much of the 35.8km course, Hemmings and Gilby made the decisive move with just 100m to go, producing an astonishing burst of speed to leave Csay and Szonda stranded. The British pair's winning time was 2hrs 32min 03sec, with the Hungarians just four seconds adrift.

"The Hungarians attacked us after the last portage and we had to sprint to hold our place," described double Gold medal winner Hemmings afterwards. "But having held on, I knew that once we had won that one, we could win any further sprints and they were not going to get past."

Hemming's performance over the weekend was a remarkable achievement. The 25-year-old from Elmbridge in Surrey had not raced competitively in canoe marathon for two years, having concentrated on the sprint discipline - reaching the semi-finals at the Olympics in Sydney last September and finishing 7th at the recent World Championships.

MEANWHILE, THE men's single kayak title was won by Spain's Manuel Busto Fernandez, who crossed the finish line just two seconds ahead of Australia's Michael Everett in 2hrs 27min 5sec Attila Jambor from Hungary took the Bronze medal. In the men's canoe race (C1) Palel Bednar held off the challenge of 1999 winner Pal Petervari of Hungary to take Gold. Norweigan pair Eirik Larsen and Nils Fjeldheim won the men's double kayak title, and Attila Gyore and Edvin Csabai of Hungary wrapped up the men's doubles (C2) title.

Neil Fleming from Ireland paddled to victory to win Gold in the first ever Junior World Championships kayak single event, beating David Varga from Hungary. The win was sweet revenge for Fleming as Varga had beaten him into second place at the European Championships in Hungary earlier this year. Stefanie Urban of Germany took the Junior Women's title.

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