Kimberley Woods

Kimberley Woods
Woods in 2022
Personal information
NationalityBritish
Born (1995-09-08) 8 September 1995 (age 29)
Rugby, England
Height1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Weight62 kg (137 lb)
Sport
CountryGreat Britain
SportCanoe slalom
EventC1, K1, Kayak cross
ClubRugby Canoe Club
Medal record
Women's canoe slalom
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris K1
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Kayak cross
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2017 Pau C1 team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Rio de Janeiro C1 team
Gold medal – first place 2019 La Seu d'Urgell K1 team
Gold medal – first place 2021 Bratislava K1 team
Gold medal – first place 2023 London Kayak cross
Gold medal – first place 2023 London C1 team
Silver medal – second place 2015 London K1 team
Silver medal – second place 2022 Augsburg Kayak cross
Silver medal – second place 2023 London C1
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Rio de Janeiro K1 team
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Bratislava K1
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Augsburg C1 team
Bronze medal – third place 2023 London K1 team
European Games
Silver medal – second place 2023 Kraków C1 team
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Markkleeberg C1
Gold medal – first place 2016 Liptovský Mikuláš C1 team
Gold medal – first place 2016 Liptovský Mikuláš K1 team
Gold medal – first place 2017 Tacen C1
Gold medal – first place 2017 Tacen C1 team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Prague C1 team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Pau C1 team
Gold medal – first place 2021 Ivrea K1 team
Silver medal – second place 2021 Ivrea C1 team
Silver medal – second place 2022 Liptovský Mikuláš K1 team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Markkleeberg C1 team
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Pau C1
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Tacen C1 team
U23 World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Penrith K1 team
Gold medal – first place 2016 Kraków C1 team
Gold medal – first place 2017 Bratislava C1 team
Silver medal – second place 2016 Kraków C1
Silver medal – second place 2017 Bratislava K1 team
Silver medal – second place 2018 Ivrea C1
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Wausau C1 team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Foz do Iguaçu C1
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Foz do Iguaçu C1 team
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Bratislava C1
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Ivrea K1
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Ivrea K1 team
U23 European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Solkan C1
Gold medal – first place 2016 Solkan C1 team
Silver medal – second place 2016 Solkan K1
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Solkan C1 team
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Wausau K1 team
Silver medal – second place 2013 Liptovský Mikuláš K1
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Wausau C1
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Liptovský Mikuláš C1 team
Junior European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Solkan C1
Gold medal – first place 2013 Bourg-Saint-Maurice C1
Silver medal – second place 2012 Solkan K1
Silver medal – second place 2013 Bourg-Saint-Maurice K1 team
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Banja Luka K1 team

Kimberley Woods (born 8 September 1995) is a British slalom canoeist who has competed in C1, K1 and KX1 at the international level since 2011.[1] A six time world and eight time European champion, she won the bronze medal in both the K1 event and the first ever women's kayak-cross (KX1) event in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Life

Personal life

Woods was born in 1995, one of four children living in Rugby. Aged four she watched her aunt Diane, who was a silver medallist at the 1994 World Junior canoeing Championships,[2] and was helped by her grandparents to get her own canoe. She was bullied as a child because of her physique and used canoeing as an escape from this.[3] She won three medals at the world junior competitions but was forced to stop canoeing because of an injury and turned to self-harming.[3]

In 2013 she attended Rugby College and later, the University of Hertfordshire.[4]

Woods has been open about how she has struggled with mental health issues throughout her life. On two occasions she has checked into a private mental health hospital, and has stated how she experienced suicidal thoughts.[2]

Canoeing

Woods has won 13 medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with six golds (Kayak cross: 2023; C1 team: 2017, 2018, 2023; K1 team: 2019, 2021), three silvers (C1: 2023; Kayak cross: 2022; K1 team: 2015) and four bronzes (K1: 2021; C1 team: 2022; K1 team: 2018, 2023).[5]

Woods in 2023 in Prague

She has also won 14 medals (eight golds, three silvers and three bronzes) at the European Championships, including a silver in the C1 team event at the 2023 European Games in Kraków.

Woods won the overall World Cup title in Kayak cross in 2023 and 2024.[6]

She qualified to represent Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the Women's K1 event[7] where she finished in 10th place.[3]

In 2024 she returned to Olympic kayak competition, in Paris[8] winning a bronze medal in the women's slalom K–1.[9]

World Cup individual podiums

1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Total
C1 3 4 5 12
K1 0 1 0 1
Kayak cross 2 4 1 7
Total 5 9 6 20
Season Date Venue Position Event
2013 22 June 2013 Cardiff 1st C1
29 June 2013 Augsburg 3rd C1
2015 27 June 2015 Kraków 2nd C1
8 August 2015 La Seu d'Urgell 3rd C1
2016 4 June 2016 Ivrea 3rd C1
10 September 2016 Tacen 1st C1
2017 17 June 2017 Prague 1st C1
18 June 2017 Prague 2nd K1
2019 16 June 2019 Lee Valley 2nd C1
8 September 2019 Prague 2nd C1
2022 26 June 2022 Tacen 1st Kayak cross
2023 11 June 2023 Prague 1st Kayak cross
1 September 2023 La Seu d'Urgell 3rd C1
3 September 2023 La Seu d'Urgell 2nd Kayak cross
8 October 2023 Vaires-sur-Marne 2nd Kayak cross
2024 16 June 2024 Kraków 3rd Kayak cross
14 September 2024 Ivrea 2nd C1
15 September 2024 Ivrea 2nd Kayak cross
21 September 2024 La Seu d'Urgell 3rd C1
22 September 2024 La Seu d'Urgell 2nd Kayak cross

References

  1. ^ "Profile". BritishCanoeing.org.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b Media, PA (28 July 2024). "'It's finally me': kayaker Kimberley Woods' joy after claiming first Olympic medal". the Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c McRae, Donald (4 March 2024). "'My only outlet was self-harming': canoeist Kimberley Woods on taming depression and targeting Paris gold". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Former student and future Olympian visit Rugby College ahead of Tokyo 2020". wcg.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Kimberley WOODS (GBR)". CanoeSlalom.net. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  6. ^ "2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup" (PDF). Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Team GB canoeing athletes selected for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games". www.teamgb.com. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  8. ^ "The complete day-by-day guide to Team GB at Paris 2024". ESPN.com. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  9. ^ Poole, Harry (28 July 2024). "Paris 2024 Olympics: Great Britain's Kimberley Woods wins kayak single bronze". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
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