Canadian women's 8 rowing team clinches spot at Paris Olympics

The Canadian women's eight rowing team booked its place at next summer's Paris Olympic Games with a fifth-place result at the World Rowing Championships on Sunday in Belgrade, Serbia.

Canada finished the race in six minutes 7.15 seconds, taking the last Olympic qualification spot ahead of the Italian crew, the only team to miss qualifying for Paris.

Romania won gold in 6:01.28, followed by the silver medallists from the U.S. (6:03.73), while early race leader Australia (6:04.17) held on for bronze.

Canada won gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

WATCH | Canada's women's 8 to defend Olympic title in Paris next summer: