Nicolas Gestin of Team France celebrates victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. GETTY IMAGES

With a lead of almost six seconds over the rest of the field, Nicolas Gestin was crowned Olympic champion in canoe slalom (C-1). After an exceptional final race at the Vaires-sur-Marne Sailing Centre, he became the fourth French gold medallist at these Olympic Games. He succeeded Denis Gargaud and Tony Estanguet as Olympic champions in this discipline.

The Frenchman completed the course in 91'36‘ without incurring any penalties, ahead of Britain's Adam Burgess (96'84’), five-time world champion, and Slovakia's Matej Benus (97'03"), silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics.

Nicolas Gestin became France's third Olympic canoe slalom champion on Monday evening. He won unchallenged after a technically perfect race, without missing a single gate and with a lead of more than five seconds over second-placed Adam Burgess of Great Britain.




The world number three had already dominated the first and second heats on Saturday, making him the clear favourite for this final. On Monday he was just as impressive from the start, dominating the semi-final by more than 3.6 seconds over Spain's Miquel Trave.

And, obviously, he was not to be denied anything in the final. As well as being fast from the first strokes, Nicolas Gestin was flawless in the more technical sections, causing problems for some of his rivals. Suffice it to say that he had never won all four legs of an Olympic event before.

After winning both heats on Saturday and Monday's semi-final, the 24-year-old tricolour flew through the competition to give France its 13th medal, the fourth gold. He joins France's Tony Estanguet, triple Olympic champion in 2000, 2004 and 2012, and Denis Gargaud Chanut, who won gold at Rio 2016, on the slalom canoeing list.



"To give myself a moment like this is a golden moment. I couldn't have dreamed of anything better, it's perfect. It was very surprising, but I was relaxed, sure of my strength, I wanted to enjoy the moment. My club monitor told me: ‘These moments belong to you’,’ the Breton, who has dominated the 2022 World Cup circuit, told France Télévisions.

"I lived through Tony [Estanguet]'s Olympics as a kid, all those people inspired me, and made me want to be on the water, but when I signed up for Quimperlé I never imagined I'd be an Olympic champion. We've never had one in the club, not even a permanent member of the French team, so it's unprecedented. I have a great team to celebrate with, and in Quimperlé we know how to throw a party,’ he said.

“I really enjoyed it because the course was very tough, it was very well sailed and we witnessed a great sporting moment because Nicolas was monstrous,’ declared Tony Estanguet, “impressed” at the end of the competition in which his compatriot made history.