Olympics-Canoeing-Spain's Chourraut beats Jones to gold in K-1

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Spain's Maialen Chourraut seized gold in the women's K-1 on Thursday, closing out the Olympic canoe slalom events with a flourish.

Chourraut, who finished ahead of New Zealand's Luuka Jones and top-ranked Jessica Fox of Australia, called her winning performance a "reward" for her family and "all the nerves and emotion they have felt."

"I have been working every day, taking it step-by-step in order to get to this point and to this place of winning the Olympic gold medal," Chourraut said.

Her gold medal moment was still hazy in her mind when she addressed reporters at a post-race press conference.

"I would need to see the videotape because I really don't remember," Chourraut said, when asked of her recollection of her victory.

Fox, who had appeared a strong gold medal contender, said she was happy to win a medal and vowed to continue improving ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Games.

"Today was a fantastic day, amazing racing by the women," Fox said. "It just makes me want to keep working harder."

Fox won a silver medal in the K-1 at the 2012 London Olympics.

Jones provided one of the surprise turns of the day, taking silver with a gutsy performance that brought New Zealand its first medal in the sport.

Jones said she hopes her medal will help encourage the development of the sport back home.

"It's huge," Jones said, noting that canoe slalom is not one of New Zealand's "key sports."

"Hopefully [it's] going to be a gamechanger." (Reporting By Amy Tennery, editing by Neil Robinson)

08/11/2016 17:04

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