Italia Team can celebrate the first Olympic quota from speed canoeing for the Paris 2024 Summer Games.

On the final day of competition at the World Championships in Duisburg, Germany, Carlo Tacchini and Gabriele Casadei secured seventh place in the C2 500 metres, enough to scoop one of the five-circle quotas reserved for the best eight boats.

The duo from Piedmont (photo Pagliaricci/CONI), after posting third in yesterday’s last semi-final time trial, concluded today’s final with a time of 1:38.923.

A poor start, despite an admirable comeback attempt over the final metres, prevented the Azzurri from competing for a podium place. The gold medal was to adorn the necks of German athletes Kretschmer and Hecker (1:36.972), who managed to prevail over Chinese Liu and Ji (silver with 1:38.126) and Spaniards Garcia and Martinez (bronze with 1:38.571).

For Casadei and Tacchini, winners at the European Games in Krakow last June in this race format, there remains the satisfaction of having achieved at least one of their two goals: obtaining a non-rated pass for Paris 2024.