Kayak Singles, 500 metres, Women

Since being runner-up in the K-1 500 at the 1996 Summer Olympics, Canada’s Caroline Brunet had won the K-1 200 and 500 at every edition of the World Championships, and the K-1 1000 in 1997 and 1999, making her a strong favorite to take the title at the 2000 Games. Italy’s Josefa Idem-Guerrini, who competed in every Olympics since 1984, was runner-up to Brunet in every event in 1997 and 1999, and was first, second, and third in the K-1 1000, 200, and 500 respectively in 1998. These two were the primary contenders for the gold medal, but others such as Hungary’s Rita Kőbán, who was, among other titles, the defending Olympic champion, were in the running for the podium as well. Kőbán, like Idem-Guerrini, was a seasoned veteran, having won her first World Championship medal in 1985 and participated in her first Olympics three years later.

Brunet and Idem-Guerrini won their heats in the opening round, while Kőbán was second to the Italian. As expected, Brunet and Idem-Guerrini battled each other at the front of the pack for most of the final, but the latter pulled away in the final 100 metres and defeated the Canadian for her first time in the K-1 500, taking home her first Olympic title in five editions of the Games for her efforts. Australia’s Katrin Borchert, the 1989 and 1991 World Champion, narrowly missed stealing silver from Brunet and took bronze instead in front of her home crowd.