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Australia has ended on top of the medal standings at the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in Germany after three more podium finishes on the final day.
- Australia claimed four gold, three silver and two bronze medals at the world titles
- Yale Steinepreis and Curtis McGrath both won individual medals on the final day
- Aly Bull and Jackson Collins took silver in the mixed K2 500m
The paddlers brought Australia's most successful world titles campaign to a close by adding two silvers and a bronze medal to their overall tally.
Australia claimed four gold, three silver and two bronze medals at an event that also boosted the team's 2024 Olympic and Paralympic hopes.
Fifteen quota places for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games were secured.
Young gun Yale Steinepreis got the final day's action underway for Australia, winning silver in the women's K1 200 metres final behind New Zealand's nine-time world champion Lisa Carrington.
"It feels pretty awesome, I'm stoked to win silver," Steinepreis said.
"I'd rather race Lisa and come second, than do a race without her."
Dual Paralympian Curtis McGrath added another medal to his world championships haul, picking up bronze in the men's VL3 200m.
McGrath backed up from his gold in the kayak to finish third.
"It's been a big week, lots of racing and the competition has really stepped up," McGrath said.
"It's nice to finish with the bronze medal and another quota spot.
"It's all about building up to the pinnacle of our sport, the Paralympic Games. I can't wait to see what we produce next year."
Three-time Paralympic gold medallist McGrath was later given the honour of being named Australia's co-captain — alongside Angie Ballard — for the Paris Games next year.
Aly Bull and Jackson Collins stood on the mixed K2 500m podium for the second year in a row, taking silver in Australia's final event.
"We're naturally wired to look at the medal tally and performances after a critical benchmark event," Paddle Australia's high-performance chief Kim Crane said.
"Our achievements here have been outstanding."
The Australian team will now head to Paris for the final event of the international season, World Cup 3, which doubles as a test event for next years' Olympic and Paralympic Games.
AAP
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