HALIFAX, N.S. (July 5, 2026) – Team Canada delivered one of its strongest performances in recent history, finishing second overall in the medal standings at the 2026 ICF Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships after an unforgettable five days of racing on home waters in Halifax.
With 241 medals awarded across the Championships, Canada concluded the competition with nine medals, five gold, two silver and two bronze, finishing behind powerhouse Hungary and ahead of Brazil in the overall standings.
Canada’s junior team led the way, capturing four gold medals and one silver to finish third in the Junior medal standings, while the U23 squad added one gold, one silver and two bronze medals to place seventh overall.
The Championships showcased the depth of Canada’s next generation of paddlers, with returning world champions defending titles, new champions emerging and crews delivering breakthrough performances in front of enthusiastic home crowds.
Among the standout performances was Toshka Besharah, who successfully defended her U23 Women’s K1 200m world title with another gold medal. Isabel Lowry also defended her Junior Women’s C1 200m title, reaffirming her place among the world’s best.
Victoria Tran enjoyed an extraordinary Championships, earning multiple world titles. She teamed with Grace Theunissen to win gold in the Junior Women’s C2 500m before capturing another gold alongside Abbigail Haines in the Junior Women’s C2 200m. Tran closed the Championships with a third gold medal as part of the Junior Women’s C4 500m crew alongside Haines, Madeleine Beauregard and Lowry.
Canada’s silver medals came from Matthew Brown in the Junior Men’s C1 1000m and Elizabeth Desrosiers-McArthur in the U23 Women’s C1 200m.
The U23 women continued Canada’s success with two bronze medal performances. Charlotte Désy and Ruby Muhl claimed bronze in the U23 Women’s C2 200m, while Désy returned to the podium alongside Desrosiers-McArthur, Amélie Laliberté and Ava Carew with bronze in the U23 Women’s C4 500m.
The Championships also highlighted the strength of Canada’s development program, with numerous finalists beyond the podium across both age categories demonstrating the country’s growing international depth.
The 2026 ICF Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships brought the world’s best young paddlers to Halifax from July 1–5, marking a memorable week of international competition and inspiring performances on Lake Banook.
Canada now turns its attention to building on this momentum as these athletes continue their journey toward future senior World Championships and Olympic success. Next up for Team Canada – the Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup from July 9-12 and the Pan American World Championships from July 13 – 15th , both taking place on the historic Olympic Basin in Montreal, Quebec.
For the full event results – https://www.canoeicf.com/canoe-sprint-world-championships/halifax-2026