Catalin Chirila wins silver medal in men's C1 500m final at European Games Krakow-Malopolska 2023

Romanian athlete Catalin Chirila won the silver medal in the men's canoe single 500m final on Saturday at the European Games Krakow-Malopolska 2023 (Poland).

Chirila, European bronze and world silver medallist in this event in 2022, was timed 1 min 46 sec 340/1000. Gold went to Czech Martin Fuksa in 1 min 45 sec 462/1000 and bronze went to Serghei Tarnovschi from Moldova in 1 min 46 sec 460/1000.

The men's C1 1,000m, in which Chirila is world and European champion, is not included in the European Games.

Chirila has one European Games gold medal, won alongside Victor Mihalachi in C-2 1000 m canoe double, in 2019, in Minsk.

For Romania this was the fourth medal at the European Games in Poland, two silver and two bronze, after athlete Bianca Ghelber won the silver medal in the hammer throw, athlete Andrea Miklos won bronze in the 400 m, and karateka Stefan Comanescu also took bronze in men's kumite 67 kg category.

Romania is taking part in the European Games Krakow-Malopolska 2023 (21 June-2 July) with 150 athletes, 74 women and 76 men, in 18 sports: athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, judo, kayak-canoeing, karate, rugby, ski jumping, water jumping, fencing, taekwondo, table tennis, teqball, archery, shooting, triathlon.