Just 0.011 seconds separated the top two as Portela and Baptista held off Authorised Neutral Athletes (AIN) from Belarus Volha Khudzenka and Dzmitry Natynchyk in a nail-biting race, with Czechia's Josef Dostal and Anezka Paloudova claiming bronze, according to the ICF.

They came within a whisker of victory, only to be overtaken on the line by Portela and Baptista, who triumphed by 1'37.592. The victory ended a long wait for a world title for 36-year-old Portela, who now completes the medal haul after taking bronze in 2009 and silver in 2022. 

"It's really special to be here after the Olympics and share this success with Messias, who is a good friend of mine," said Portela. "It's great to do it with him. It's my first World Championship gold, so it's special. There were a lot of good athletes, so we knew it would be a good fight until the end. We won, so we are really happy." 

The world medal is another great moment in a year that has seen the Czech couple get engaged, Paloudova make her Olympic debut and Dostal win gold at Paris 2024. "This is my first senior medal at a World Championships in Canoe Sprint, so I am super excited and more than happy to win it with my fiancée," said Paloudova. 

AIN paddlers from Belarus Mikita Borykau and Aleh Yurenia were crowned World champions in the men's K2 1000m with a fine performance in the final. Sweden's Joakim Lindberg and Martin Nathell sealed silver, with Germany's Felix Daniel Frank and Martin Hiller bagging bronze. 

"This was the main distance for us at the Tokyo Olympics, but it was not good," said Yurenia. "It has been the dream for the last three years to make it happen over this distance. I was sick, but during the race everything went well. We just came together and did the best we could." 

Belarusian AIN Alena Nazdrova won the women's single 1000m after leading from start, Hungary's Giada Bragato fought hard for silver and China's Xina Jiang took bronze in the heat. "I am very happy that I was able to give my best at the end of the season after all the races," said Nazdrova. "I controlled the race well, but the temperature and the weather is the only thing I can't prepare for. I was racing against myself and the weather."

In the women's K1 1000m there was celebration for Hungary, as Emese Kohalmi powered her way to victory to claim her third world title and first in the event, having previously won the 5000m distance in 2021 and 2022. AIN paddler Maryna Litvinchuk from Belarus took silver and Sweden's Melina Andersson was third."It was a really good and really tough race," said Kohalmi. "I'm so proud of myself. I really like the 1000m. It's my favourite event." 

The other gold medal went to AIN athletes from Russia Zakhar Petrov and Ivan Dmitriev in a clash against Hungary in the men's Canoe Double 1000m. Adolf and Fejes took silver and Ukraine's Yurii Vandiuk and Pavlo Borsuk completed the podium with bronze. 

"We only had two days for preparation in the crew," said Dmitriev. "Thank God we remembered our crew feelings from the past years and managed to restore them, although far from ideal. World champions are forever."