Fernando Pimenta pleased with ‘extremely difficult medal’ at European Games

Portuguese canoeist Fernando Pimenta was happy to win an “extremely difficult medal” this Saturday, a K1 500m silver at the 2023 European Games in Krakow, expressing his willingness to increase his savings for future games.

With 131 international medals, five of them at the European Games, Limiano feels “extremely happy”.

“This is an extremely competitive race. I managed to cope well emotionally and psychologically during the competition, especially when the Serbian attacked. I managed to keep the silver,” he told reporters.

Pimenta, who started on lane seven, finished his performance in 1,37,358 minutes, behind only Hungarian Adam Varga (1,36,212), while Serb Marko Dragosavljevic finished third with 1,37,806 minutes.

Pimenta thanked the coach and psychologist for their help in the competition, in which he was also part of K4 without reaching the podium, in addition to spending “a few sick days without being able to train”.

“However, with the weather we did and these climatic conditions that were not ideal… This is the fifth medal and I continue to be the most medalist at the European Games. I still have the opportunity, if everything goes well, we will be back in the next edition,” he announced ambitiously.

However, the natural champion hit the water upon arrival for having a “sweet bittersweet moment” because “I would love to have gold at the European Games” even if he had a difficult medal.

“For some, this is the last competition of the season and that’s all they’re getting ready for. Our main goal is the World Cup in August, the Olympic qualification. [para Paris2024]. We have to stay focused,” he warned.

Fernando Pimenta, a two-time Olympic medalist, has already won four silver medals at the European Games, between K1 1000 and K1 5000 meters, one each in Baku 2015 and Minsk 2019.

Pimenta stated that he was “sad” ahead of Krakow 2023 about not being able to compete at his favorite distances at the Crispinov circuit, 1000m and up, due to the size of the court in Poland.

He ended up solidifying his status as the most awarded medal at the European Games for Portugal, he ‘craves’ for more and finished second in Europe as the competition ‘doubles’ as European in modality.

He adds this to the other 130 international medals he has already held in his history, including silver in the K2 1000m in London in 2012 with Emanuel Silva and bronze in Tokyo 2020 in the K-1 1000m.

Moreover, he has four world titles and six European titles among dozens of world championships and other competitions, in which he stood out as one of the great figures of domestic sports of the 21st century.

This is the third medal for canoeing in Krakow in 2023 after the gold of Messias Baptista in the K1 200 meters, the course in which Franziska Laja won the bronze, also on Friday at the Krispinov course.

Portugal now has six podiums at the European Games, namely two golds, two silvers and two bronzes.

The Third European Games will last until July 2 in Krakow and in the Polish region of Lesser Poland, in the program of 30 sports and 48 participating countries, including Portugal, whose delegation has more than two hundred athletes.