Canoe Slalom World Championships: GB's Joe Clarke wins extreme world title

Image source, Canoephotography.com/Dezso Vekassy (ICF)

Image caption, Clarke's power and speed helped him seal gold in Bratislava

Britain's Joe Clarke stormed to the men's extreme slalom world title and Mallory Franklin took women's C1 silver on the final day of the Canoe Slalom World Championships in Slovakia.

Clarke was only granted a place in the extreme heats when other boats dropped out but won every race from then on.

"To get the call to say I'd been drafted in was amazing," he said.

"It's hard to put it into words after having such a tough championships and not the best of years overall."

The Rio 2016 K1 gold medallist did not make Britain's team for the Tokyo Olympics and was knocked out in the heats in the event earlier in the week.

Team-mate Bradley Forbes-Cryans was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the extreme event - which will make its Olympic debut at Paris 2024 - as was Kimberley Woods in the women's competition.

Olympic silver medallist Franklin, 27, went off first in the C1 final after qualifying in last place and clocked 99.34 seconds.

Only Germany's Elena Apel could go quicker with a time of 99.03secs as the Briton finished in second place.

Franklin added the silver medal to the K1 team gold she won earlier at the championships with Woods and Fiona Pennie.