Serguei Torres and Fernando Dayán in Tokyo-2020

Havana, September 16 (RHC)-- The duo of Serguei Torres and Fernando Dayan Jorge achieved the best result of the Cubans on Thursday at the start of the world canoeing championship in calm waters, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Olympic champions in Tokyo-2020, Serguei and Dayan started off on the right foot in the search for the only title missing in their trophy cabinet, by winning their qualifying heat in the C-2 1000 meters (4.01.01), to qualify directly to the final.

The Cuban canoe was escorted at the finish line by Canada's Vargas and Plomteux (4.03.52), and Spain's Dominguez and Fontan (4.17.21).

The Chinese Xu and Wang, Olympic runners-up in Tokyo behind the Cubans, finally did not show up in the competition.

In Saturday's final, the main rivals of the Cubans in the dispute for the gold will be the Russians Shamshurin and Chebotar, winners of the other heat with 3.57.23 and the Poles Glazunow and Bartniak (3.58.02).

Both Russia and Poland had better times than the Cuban boat, but Serguei and Dayan set an excellent time of 3.24.995 in Tokyo a little over a month ago, the best time ever in an Olympic Games.

The other three Cubans who competed on the day also advanced to the finals.

In the women's C-2 500 m, the pair of Katherine Nuevo and Yarisleidys Cirilo, finalist in Tokyo, dominated their semifinal heat and qualified for the A final, which will distribute the medals. The Cubans had to row twice, as they finished fourth in their qualifying heat, which gave the first three direct tickets to the final.

In the C-1 1000m José Ramón Pelier finished second in his semifinal heat (3.58.70) and also qualified for the medal race.

The competition will award medals in 27 specialties (18 men's and 9 women's).

In the history of the world canoeing championships, Cuba has won 20 medals (3-9-8).

Cuba's first medal was won by the 1000-meter C-2 duo of Ibrahim Rojas and Leobaldo Pereira in Milan-99, when they won silver.

Two years later in Poznan (Poland), 20 years ago, the same Olympic runners-up Ibrahim and Leobaldo won Cuba's first title in those events, winning gold in the 500-meter C-2. In that same Polish competition, they won bronze in 500 and 200 meters, to win three medals.

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