Team Ireland’s Noel Hendrick and Samuel Curtis progressed through the heats of the Men’s K1 Canoe Slalom to the semi-finals, as did team mate Madison Corcoran in the Women’s event, on Day 10 of the European Games in Poland.
Unfortunately however, in Badminton, Irish star Nhat Nguyen was defeated by Olympic champion Victor Axelsen of Denmark in his Men’s Singles quarter-final.
Elsewhere, Shooter Aoife Gormally scored 67 (out of a possible 75) in the first three of her qualification rounds in the Women’s Trap this morning, at the Wroclaw Shooting Centre. The Meath woman will have to have a very strong performance in her final two rounds tomorrow if she is to progress.
Canoe Slalom
Team Ireland’s Noel Hendrick and Samuel Curtis got the canoe slalom action at Kolna Sports Park off to a great start, with automatic qualifications in the first run of the Men’s K1 event.
Hendrick was the best of the Irish finishing the first run in 89.10 in 23rd place, and he was pleased with his performance.
“It was a decent run,” he said. “I started off, it was a small bit of an uncomfortable thing, you don’t need to do anything special in the heat, so I just went out and took a run that didn’t have a lot of risk, but delivered the main moves all the way down and I was happy to get that run out.
“I know there was a bit of time in it but I’m happy enough. I’ve an easy enough day today, and I can rest tomorrow so I can take on the semis with a bit more speed and a bit more attacking in them.”
Madison Corcoran had to contest a second run to confirm her semi-final place, while Alistair McCreary competed in the second run but was not successful in progressing.
Badminton
Team Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen had the unenviable task of playing the reigning Olympic and World champion Viktor Axelsen in his quarter-final encounter, and was knocked out of the competition.
The Dane controlled the court not allowing Nguyen to gain any sort of stronghold on the game as he took a comfortable 2-0 victory.
Joshua Magee and Moya Ryan got the action underway in their final Mixed Doubles group game at the Jaskółka Arena in Tornow, but also suffered defeat.
Magee and Ryan put in a spirited performance against the tournament’s top seeds France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue, who are also ranked number eight in the world, losing in straight sets 2-0.
The Irish pair got off to a difficult start losing the first set 21-12, but managed to keep their composure. They fought back resolutely and led the second set for the majority, before ultimately falling to a 21-17 defeat.
Shooting
Irish Shooter Aoife Gormally got her Games underway this morning, with three of her five qualification rounds in the Women’s Trap qualification scoring 67 out of a possible 75.
Trap shooting differs from the skeet shooting that we saw Jack Furlong take part in last week. Trap is a single target, going away from the shooter at acute angles and heights, with two shots per target.
In a field of 30 competitors, Gormally has put in a modest performance scoring 67 targets after the opening three series. This result sits her in 19th position going into day two of qualification, where she will have two more opportunities to climb up the rankings.
After the qualification rounds, just eight athletes will progress to the final tomorrow afternoon, with the winner getting that golden ticket to Paris 2024.
