WATER SPORTS NEWS - Hungary were completely dominant on the opening day of the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships on Thursday, but the South African duo of Sifiso “Alex” Masina and Christie Mackenzie won the hearts of the local fans at Camps Drift.
Hungary claimed no less than seven medals from the four medal events on the opening day’s action with an almost perfect four golds and three silvers, but it was the two bronze medals for the South African team that had the local fans screaming with delight.
The final event of the day, the junior men’s race, was won by Hungarian Ádám Varga in the most dominant display of power-paddling seen on day one. Masina looked to be out of contention for a medal when three paddlers broke away from the start and he was left off the pace in fourth.
However, Varga’s decision to paddle away from his rivals by himself meant the never-say-day South African was able to first haul in Briton Charlie Smith, and then Varga’s compatriot István Lukács. That set up a three-man group to fight for silver and bronze.
As the trio wound up for the final sprint Smith powered away and his silver medal was safe from 200m out, while Masina was able to hold off the Hungarian and claim a historic bronze.
The race was an emotional roller coaster for the South African as he bravely kept fighting for position throughout.
"They were just too fast for me off the start," he said shortly after the finish. "But I have been doing a lot of distance and not a lot of speed so I was able to catch up again.
"After the start, when they were all ahead of me I thought I was going to be fourth. But then when the English guy dropped off the lead group I knew his pace must drop and I worked hard to catch him. Then the Hungarian also dropped off so me and the English guy worked hard together and caught him.
"I only realised I would get the medal about 100m from the end. I thought the Hungarian was going to get me at the finish but I just hung on. It is incredible. This means so much for me, it means a lot – a lot."
Masina’s bronze was matched by compatriot Christie Mackenzie in the junior women’s race, the first event of the day, although she was somewhat gifted the medal.
