Great Britain’s Joe Clarke said he was “stuck for words” after claiming a fourth consecutive kayak cross world title in Australia.
The 32-year-old took time out of the sport after finishing with a silver medal at the 2024 Games in Paris.
He missed the early part of the season following the birth of his second child and says he struggled to “find his feet” in the subsequent World Cup events.
Clarke won silver in the men’s individual time trials and bronze in the team kayak earlier in the Canoe Slalom World Championships in Sydney, but showed his class in the kayak cross, continuing his remarkable run after winning the three previous editions of the event.
“It was a dream to come here to retain that title after getting silver in the Games last year,” said Clarke, who finished well clear of France’s Mathurin Madore in second place and Czech canoeist Matyas Novak in third.
“To compete on the biggest stage at the Olympics is massive but then I actually took some time off afterwards, so I’ve been working towards this.
“I have kind of been finding my feet the second half of the season, but it seems like I found them now.
“I came today with a point to prove and I think I’ve done that. To take a fourth world title, I’m stuck for words.”