Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) canoeist Alana Nicholls has claimed her first silver and bronze in the women’s K1 500 and 200 metres respectively at the ICF World Cup 1 held in Poland from 6 to 8 May.

In strong windy conditions, 25-year-old Nicholls won silver in the women’s K1 500 metres, recording a time of 122.69 seconds. She finished 1.58 seconds behind the winner of the race—Germany’s Nicole Reinhardt. Sweden’s Sofia Paldanius finished third in 123.23 seconds.

‘I was surprised at how good I was feeling leading into the 500 metres taking into account that we only arrived into Europe on Wednesday. I was just happy to have made the A final in the K1 500 metres, so to come out with silver is fantastic,’ Nicholls said. 

On the following day, Nicholls claimed bronze in the women’s K1 200 metres, powering home to the finish line, recording a time of 45.1 seconds. Poland’s Marta Walczykiewicz won the race comfortably (44.857 seconds) followed by Germany’s Nicole Reinhardt in third place (45.07 seconds).

AIS athletes, Hailey McGinty, Naomi Flood, Hannah Davis teamed up with Rachel Lovell taking out bronze in the women’s K4 500-metre event (101.792 seconds). The Australian team finished behind the winning team of Belarus (98.88 seconds), followed by Portugal in second place (101.68).

In other strong results for AIS athletes, Stephen Bird combined with Jesse Phillips, finishing eighth in the men’s K2 500 metres.

AIS athletes will set their sights on competing in the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup 2 taking place in Račice, Czech Republic from 20 –22 May.