Tasiadis misses the next German medal
For slalom canoeist Sideris Tasiadis, the dream of a third Olympic medal has burst: The Augsburger finished fourth in the canoe final at the Vaires-sur-Marne water sports stadium, just 0.24 seconds short of a podium spot. The Frenchman Nicolas Gestin secured the victory ahead of Adam Burgess (Great Britain) and Matej Benus from Slovakia.
For slalom canoeist Sideris Tasiadis, the dream of a third Olympic medal has burst. The Augsburger finished fourth in the canoe final at the Vaires-sur-Marne water sports stadium, just 0.24 seconds short of a podium spot. The Frenchman Nicolas Gestin secured the victory ahead of Adam Burgess (Great Britain) and Matej Benus from Slovakia. Tasiadis had won the silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012 and bronze in Tokyo in 2021.
In front of around 15,000 spectators in the eastern part of Paris, Tasiadis, as the third-to-last starter, showed a solid run but made a few minor mistakes. After crossing the finish line, he was visibly frustrated and hit his helmet. However, the private joy of expecting a child should help him overcome this disappointment. As announced after the race, the Augsburger is expecting a child in January.
Son as Gold Medal
"Of course, the gold medal is missing, that's logical. But it takes a lot to pull it off. What you've been training and doing for years, you have to deliver in that one moment," said Tasiadis. However, the upcoming birth of his son feels like a "gold medal," he added: "That belongs to a healthy marriage, to have offspring. I'm looking forward to it."
At 34, the German was competing at the Olympics for the fourth time, considered one of the medal candidates by the German Canoe Association (DKV). The German slalom team must continue to wait for their first medal. On Sunday, Tokyo Olympic champion Ricarda Funk in the kayak was also on course for a podium finish but missed a gate and finished eleventh.
This week, competitions in the kayak single with Noah Hegge, canoe single with Elena Lilik, and the new Olympic discipline of kayak cross are still to come. In 2019 in Tokyo, the German athletes had won a medal in all canoe slalom competitions.
Despite finishing fourth at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, Sideris Tasiadis remains hopeful, viewing the upcoming birth of his son as a "gold medal". Despite being one of the medal candidates by the German Canoe Association (DKV), Tasiadis and the German slalom team are yet to secure their first medal at the ongoing Olympic Games 2024 in Paris.
