By David Williams
Welsh para canoeist Laura Sugar has spoken of her pride at completing the sport’s Grand Slam.
Sugar – who switched from para athletics in 2019 and is also a former Wales U20s hockey player – struck gold for Great Britain on the final day of the European Championships in Munich.
The 31-year-old from Essex, who has a Welsh father, won the final of the KL2 200m race to add the European crown to her existing titles of world and Paralympic champion.
Congratulations Laura Sugar 🇬🇧 Women's Kayak Single – KL3 200m European Champion! #Munich2022@euro_champs @canoeeurope pic.twitter.com/zSJVJzvW7w
— Munich2022 (@ECMunich2022) August 21, 2022
“To complete the Grand Slam – I hadn’t even thought about that – is amazing,” said Sugar.
“Worlds was our main thing this year, that was two weeks ago. The top four from the worlds were the top four here so it’s a really good dogfight.
“To come out on top, I’m really proud.”
Sugar also set a European best in her race, her time of 47.443secs edging gold by just 0.341secs.
21/08/2022
PIRAGÜISMO 🛶
EUROPEO
KAYAK KL3 200m
🚺#Munich2022
📍Munich 🇩🇪🥇LAURA SUGAR 🇬🇧 @LauraSugar1
🥈NELIA BARBOSA 🇫🇷
🥉HOPE GORDON 🇬🇧 @HopeGordon_ pic.twitter.com/KZbOSrydhL— We are the champions 2024 (@campelones) August 21, 2022
France’s Nelia Barbosa took silver with Hope Gordon winning the bronze for GB in 48.264.
Sugar added: “It’s amazing to win gold. Hope and I didn’t race the Europeans last year so we were seeded on outside lines, which is unusual for us.
“You give everything in a race and to then see you have won is pretty special.”
Great Britain finished with five gold medals but Hungary won six gold medals on the final day of competition to top the canoe sprint and Para canoe medals table with nine in total.