Canadian Singles, 1,000 metres, Men

Only two men had won more than one major international title in the C-1 1000 since the 2004 Summer Olympics, both of whom had also been medalists at those Games. Germany’s Andreas Dittmer, the 2000 Olympic champion and 2004 runner-up, had been the 2005 European and World Champion, as well as the 2006 European and World runner-up. Hungary’s Attila Vajda, the 2004 bronze medalist, was the 2007 European and World Champion, as well as the 2006 World bronze medalist. Spain’s David Cal, the defending Olympic champion, had been the 2005 World runner-up and the 2007 European and World bronze medalist. Mexico’s José Cristóbal, meanwhile, was the winner of the event at the most recent Pan American Games, as well as at the 2006 World Championships.

Vajda and Cal won their opening round heats, the latter defeating Dittmer in the process, and advanced directly to the final alongside Uzbekistan’s Vadim Menkov. Cristóbal, meanwhile, was relegated to the semi-finals, where he was eliminated. Vajda took command of the final and won the gold medal with over two seconds of open water behind him. Cal came in for silver while Canada’s Thomas Hall, the 2003 Pan American Games champion, captured bronze ahead of Menkov. Cal would go on to earn another silver medal the following day in the C-1 500.