Canoeing-Gestin shares golden moment with family and France

PARIS : A stunning gold-medal run in the men's canoe single slalom at the Paris Games on Monday will live long in Nicolas Gestin's memory, and he was delighted to share his golden feat with his nation and his nearest and dearest in the aftermath.

Gestin stormed through the whitewater course at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium with the kind of bravado that turns athletes into Olympic legends, and he was quick to share the credit afterwards.

"It's a medal for France, for a system that carries me. We're always happy about moments like those. But having my close ones here, this little group that's been following me around for years, it's incredible," the 24-year-old beamed. 

"We've enjoyed this, I'm so happy to share this moment with them."

On a hot afternoon, Gestin had already laid down a marker with the fastest run in the semi-finals, more than three seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, but few expected what was to come.

Last to descend, he took off like a rocket down the course, flying through the 23 gates and crossing the finish line more than five seconds quicker than Britain's Adam Burgess, who took silver. 

"I knew in the final sprint, even though I hadn't seen my time, I was thinking I'd won it, and I was smiling so much. When I saw my time, I realised how incredible my performance was," Gestin said.

"When you train every day, and you get what you've always wanted, it's an indescribable feeling."

The crowd erupted in joy when Gestin crossed the line, but their jubilation fell on deaf ears out on the water.

"I didn't notice it at all, because I was just living in the moment - I don't think I could have even remembered where I live in that moment."