Kimberley Woods (born 8 September 1995) is a British slalom canoeist who has competed in C1, K1 and KX1 at the international level since 2011.[1] A six time world and eight time European champion, she won the bronze medal in both the K1 event and the first ever women's kayak-cross (KX1) event in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
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Nationality | British | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Rugby, England | 8 September 1995||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 62 kg (137 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Country | Great Britain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Canoe slalom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Event | C1, K1, Kayak cross | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | Rugby Canoe Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Life
editPersonal life
editWoods was born in 1995, one of four children living in Rugby. Aged four she watched her aunt Diane, who was a silver medallist at the 1994 World Junior canoeing Championships,[2] and was helped by her grandparents to get her own canoe. She was bullied as a child because of her physique and used canoeing as an escape from this.[3] She won three medals at the world junior competitions but was forced to stop canoeing because of an injury and turned to self-harming.[3]
In 2013 she attended Rugby College and later, the University of Hertfordshire.[4]
Woods has been open about how she has struggled with mental health issues throughout her life. On two occasions she has checked into a private mental health hospital, and has stated how she experienced suicidal thoughts.[2]
Canoeing
editWoods has won 13 medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with six golds (Kayak cross: 2023; C1 team: 2017, 2018, 2023; K1 team: 2019, 2021), three silvers (C1: 2023; Kayak cross: 2022; K1 team: 2015) and four bronzes (K1: 2021; C1 team: 2022; K1 team: 2018, 2023).[5]
She has also won 14 medals (eight golds, three silvers and three bronzes) at the European Championships, including a silver in the C1 team event at the 2023 European Games in Kraków.
Woods won the overall World Cup title in Kayak cross in 2023 and 2024.[6]
She qualified to represent Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the Women's K1 event[7] where she finished in 10th place.[3]
In 2024 she returned to Olympic kayak competition, in Paris[8] winning a bronze medal in the women's slalom K–1.[9]
World Cup individual podiums
editTotal | ||||
C1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
K1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Kayak cross | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
Total | 5 | 9 | 6 | 20 |
Season | Date | Venue | Position | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | 22 June 2013 | Cardiff | 1st | C1 |
29 June 2013 | Augsburg | 3rd | C1 | |
2015 | 27 June 2015 | Kraków | 2nd | C1 |
8 August 2015 | La Seu d'Urgell | 3rd | C1 | |
2016 | 4 June 2016 | Ivrea | 3rd | C1 |
10 September 2016 | Tacen | 1st | C1 | |
2017 | 17 June 2017 | Prague | 1st | C1 |
18 June 2017 | Prague | 2nd | K1 | |
2019 | 16 June 2019 | Lee Valley | 2nd | C1 |
8 September 2019 | Prague | 2nd | C1 | |
2022 | 26 June 2022 | Tacen | 1st | Kayak cross |
2023 | 11 June 2023 | Prague | 1st | Kayak cross |
1 September 2023 | La Seu d'Urgell | 3rd | C1 | |
3 September 2023 | La Seu d'Urgell | 2nd | Kayak cross | |
8 October 2023 | Vaires-sur-Marne | 2nd | Kayak cross | |
2024 | 16 June 2024 | Kraków | 3rd | Kayak cross |
14 September 2024 | Ivrea | 2nd | C1 | |
15 September 2024 | Ivrea | 2nd | Kayak cross | |
21 September 2024 | La Seu d'Urgell | 3rd | C1 | |
22 September 2024 | La Seu d'Urgell | 2nd | Kayak cross |
References
edit- ^ "Profile". BritishCanoeing.org.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ^ a b Media, PA (28 July 2024). "'It's finally me': kayaker Kimberley Woods' joy after claiming first Olympic medal". the Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
- ^ a b c McRae, Donald (4 March 2024). "'My only outlet was self-harming': canoeist Kimberley Woods on taming depression and targeting Paris gold". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ "Former student and future Olympian visit Rugby College ahead of Tokyo 2020". wcg.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ "Kimberley WOODS (GBR)". CanoeSlalom.net. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- ^ "2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup" (PDF). Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ "Team GB canoeing athletes selected for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games". www.teamgb.com. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
- ^ "The complete day-by-day guide to Team GB at Paris 2024". ESPN.com. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ Poole, Harry (28 July 2024). "Paris 2024 Olympics: Great Britain's Kimberley Woods wins kayak single bronze". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
External links
edit- Kimberley Woods at the International Canoe Federation
- Kimberley Woods at Olympedia
- Kimberley Woods at Team GB