Rio 2016 Just One Step in Paracanoe Journey

(ATR) The International Canoe Federation says it is "proud" of the growth of paracanoe and is excited to see further developments after Rio 2016.

ICF Secretary General Simon Toulson told Around the Rings that the first Paralympic races were a success, and the culmination of a "fantastic journey" to develop the sport. Six medals were awarded in three classifications, ending two days of racing at the Lagoa de Freitas.

"No doubt that we are growing, and the exposure we are having here at the Paralympics will encourage people with [impairments] to get in boats," Toulson said. "Our classifications in which we have the athletes competing all in very close classifications, so the races were very tight in a lot of places and it has gone off very successfully."

Paracanoe’s journey to the Paralympic Games started in 2008 having 16 athletes from three countries. Toulson says that in Rio 25 countries were represented, a number that will certainly grow for Tokyo 2020.

The ICF will present to the International Paralympic Committee standards for a new classification in December. The classification will be for canoes with an outrigger-stabilizer (VAR boats), allowing for athletes with greater degrees of impairment to compete.

Toulson said that VAR races were supposed to be in the program for Rio 2016, but the IPC were not satisfied with the standards at the time.

"The continuous comments from athletes are, ‘when I get in the boat I feel like I am competing as an able-bodied person,’" Toulson added. "I think I’m just very proud of everybody who’s been involved because it has been an amazing journey that culminated in medals today."

Jeanette Chippington of Great Britain was the first ever medalist in Paralympic canoe sprint. She won the Women’s 200m KL1 race to start the final day of the regatta. Chippington previously had a career in Paralympic swimming before switching to canoeing, and won her last gold medal at the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

After her race Chippington told ATR that her Rio triumph will "will stay with me forever". She says that switching to a new sport became a family affair, with all of her extended family joining her in canoeing. Chippington would not rule out competing in Tokyo, which would be her seventh Paralympics, but the "tremendous" growth of the sport will impact her decision.

"I was always striving to be better and I never took it for granted when I was doing well," Chippington said. "[As you saw] it got very close at the end."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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