Davidson’s World Champs Bronze brings brother to tears

New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder, Codie Davidson, delivered a fantastic finish for Team Australia at the 2023 ICF Junior and Under 23 Canoe Slalom World Championships, winning bronze in the Women’s Junior Kayak Cross overnight in Krakow, Poland.

The Western Sydney Whitewater Club paddler advanced to semifinal 2 and despite being hit in the face by another competitor, powered through to top her race and advance to the final.

The 16 year old finished the final in third place, behind Klara Kneblova of Czechia in first and France’s Nina Davidson in second.

A shocked Davidson said she has “no clue what just happened” after her race.

“I won a bronze medal, that’s all I know,” she laughed. “I nearly missed the third gate, so I had to go back for it and hoped for the best.”

Codie paid tribute to her family who had flown over to Poland to cheer her on.

“I want to thank my family, my mum, my dad and my brother – he cried,” she said. “And Georgia [Rankin]. Georgia was the coach for this tour and I don’t think I would do it without her.”

“[The Kayak Cross] was really fun, I definitely want to do it again next year.”

While the Kayak Cross (formally known as Extreme Kayak) has been on the Junior and U23 World Championships program since 2108, the discipline will make its Olympic debut in Paris next year.

Davidson’s Kayak Cross bronze capped off a strong Junior and U23 World Championships campaign for Australia, which saw seven top-20 results, 14 semi final performances in the K1 and C1, and four paddlers progress to the Kayak Cross quarterfinals.

Sarah Crosbee was the top placed Australian in both the Women’s Junior C1 (14th) and K1 (23rd), while placing 22nd in the Kayak Cross. Her Junior teammates Claire Clements and Davidson both had full K1, C1 and Kayak Cross programs, with Clements recording her strongest result in the C1 (24th).

With a full three-event program, Dominic Curtain recorded an impressive 16th place finish in the Men’s Junior C1, 14th in the Kayak Cross, and 37th in the K1.

Ben Ross’s 13th place finish in the Men’s U23 C1 was another stand out result for the Australians, as was Abby Collin’s 12th place finish in Kayak Cross. Georgia O’Callaghan also competed in a full program, placing 24th in the WC1.

See all results from the 2023 ICF Junior & U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships HERE

U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM RESULTS

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM RESULTS

Story courtesy of Paddle Australia

Photo courtesy of Damiano Benedetto (ICF).