Team GB canoeist Mallory Franklin agonisingly misses out on gold in the women’s slalom but claims silver after Australia’s world No 1 Jessica Fox storms through to become Olympian champion
Team GB canoeist Mallory Franklin settled for a silver medal in the women’s slalom at the Tokyo Olympics after Australia’s world No 1 Jessica Fox stormed through to claim the gold medal.
Franklin, registered an impressive time of 108.68, has become just the second British women to claim a medal in the Olympic event.
The 27-year-old is a former world champion and multiple medallist at all levels but had been denied a shot at Olympic glory before the category was included for the first time here.
Mallory Franklin claimed a silver medal in the women’s slalom after a terrific performance
She navigated her way through some tricky turns as she stormed to the top of the leaderboard
And she took her chance superbly, posting a brilliant run and navigating some tricky turns before facing a nervy wait to find out if she had become Olympic champion.
She had watched all her rivals fail to overtake her until hot favourite Fox took to the water last. Fox delivered on her promise as she powered across the course with a time of just 105.04 in an impressive display that was more than deserving of a gold.
The Australian, widely considered the best individual female paddler in history, had never managed an Olympic gold but she did not put a foot wrong.
Helen Reeves, who took bronze in the K1 in Athens in 2004, was Britain’s only previous medallist.
But Australia’s Jessica Fox simply had too much for her with the world No.1 racing to claim gold
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