- Slalom runner Elena Lilik wins Olympic silver
Canoeist Elena Lilik won the silver medal in the Women's C-1 at the Olympic Games in Paris. The 25-year-old from Augsburg put in a flawless final run at the Stade Nautique de Vaires-sur-Marne, completing the whitewater course with 23 gates in 103.54 seconds. Australian Jessica Fox, who also won gold in the kayak, took the gold in 101.06 seconds. American Evy Leibfarth claimed bronze in 109.95 seconds. Gabriela Satkova of the Czech Republic, the fastest in the semifinals, finished seventh.
Lilik, making her Olympic debut, had already celebrated her first Olympic final appearance in the semifinals. Her husband Leon, mother Daniela, and younger sister Emily, also a top canoeist, were among the approximately 10,000 spectators cheering from the tribune. Father Thomas, who coaches the German kayak team, watched from the sidelines. He has been training his daughter, one of the few to compete in both disciplines, since 2020.
Elena Lilik's success at the Olympic Games in Paris garnered attention back in Germany, with many people proudly supporting their homecountry's canoeist. Despite not securing the gold medal, Germany still had a reason to celebrate with Lilik bringing home silver.
