South Africa’s canoe sprint star Esti Olivier did everything expected of her at the South African Canoe Sprint Championships and successfully began her long journey to Los Angeles 2028, after a thrilling weekend’s competition at the Roodeplaat Dam in Pretoria, Gauteng, on Sunday, 29 March, 2026.
Convincing wins in the K1 500m and 200m races, and even bigger wins in the corresponding K2 races alongside young Alexa Godden, point to a training program firmly on track for the experienced 33-year-old Olympian, who will have left the green waters of Roodeplaat Dam wearing a satisfied smile.
Olivier can now contemplate her first European events of the year with some confidence, but will be well aware that the standard in the World Cup races in Hungary and Germany will be a significant step up, and four- and five-second wins will not be likely.
While most of the focus was understandably on the Olympic hopeful, another paddler who will have been happy with two senior gold medals will be former Olympic medallist Bridgitte Hartley, who claimed wins in the K1 5000m and 1000m – the two K1 events Olivier did not paddle.
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The championships were the designated trial events for teams to compete in three international regattas: the senior World Championships in Poland in August, the Junior and U23 World Championships in Canada in July, and September’s Olympic Dreams regatta in Slovakia, which is designed to give young, future stars international experience. The teams for those events will be announced shortly.
Selected Final Results at the South African Canoe Sprint Championships
Women 1000m K1
1. Bridgitte Hartley 04:40.83
2. Helen Jansen van Vuuren 04:56.12
3. Kayla Szalay 05:02.98
Women 500m K1
1. Esti Olivier 01:56.14
2. Bridgitte Hartley 02:01.11
3. Alexa Godden 02:01.87
Women 200m K1
1. Esti Olivier 44.13
2. Alexa Godden 46.45
3. Helen Jansen van Vuuren 50.43
Women 5000m K1
1. Bridgitte Hartley 26:40.98
2. Helen Jansen van Vuuren 27:18.41
3. Alexa Godden 28:18.05
Women 500m K2
1. Alexa Godden / Esti Olivier 01:52.05
2. Helen Jansen van Vuuren / Kayla Szalay 02:02.67
3. Gabriela van Rooyen / Lesedi Bobo 02:12.82
Women 200m K2
1. Alexa Godden / Esti Olivier 42.84
2. Helen Jansen van Vuuren / Kayla Szalay 47.47
3. Gabriela van Rooyen / Lesedi Bobo 52.27
Original Copy: Tim Whitfield for Gameplan Media, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Pictured on her way to winning the Women 500m K2 title with Alexa Godden, Esti Olivier delivered a dominant performance at the South African Sprint Canoe Championships at Roodeplaat Dam in Pretoria, winning four gold medals as the experienced 33-year-old Olympian launched her campaign toward Los Angeles 2028 in commanding style. Photo: PSA / Gameplan Media
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