Kimberley Woods
{{short description|British slalom canoeist}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Kimberley Woods
| image = 2022 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships - Kimberley Woods - Great Britain - by 2eight - 9SC1834.jpg
| caption = Woods in 2022
| nationality = British
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|9|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Rugby, England
| height = 1.62 m
| weight = 62 kg
| country = Great Britain
| sport = Canoe slalom
| event = C1, K1, Kayak cross
| rank =
| club = Rugby Canoe Club
| show-medals = no
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Women's canoe slalom}}
{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}
{{MedalBronze|2024 Paris|K1}}
{{MedalBronze|2024 Paris|Kayak cross}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2017 Pau|C1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2018 Rio de Janeiro|C1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2019 La Seu d'Urgell|K1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2021 Bratislava|K1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2023 London|Kayak cross}}
{{MedalGold|2023 London|C1 team}}
{{MedalSilver|2015 London|K1 team}}
{{MedalSilver|2022 Augsburg|Kayak cross}}
{{MedalSilver|2023 London|C1}}
{{MedalBronze|2018 Rio de Janeiro|K1 team}}
{{MedalBronze|2021 Bratislava|K1}}
{{MedalBronze|2022 Augsburg|C1 team}}
{{MedalBronze|2023 London|K1 team}}
{{MedalCompetition|European Games}}
{{MedalSilver|2023 Kraków|C1 team}}
{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2015 Markkleeberg|C1}}
{{MedalGold|2016 Liptovský Mikuláš|C1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2016 Liptovský Mikuláš|K1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2017 Tacen|C1}}
{{MedalGold|2017 Tacen|C1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2018 Prague|C1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2019 Pau|C1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2021 Ivrea|K1 team}}
{{MedalSilver|2021 Ivrea|C1 team}}
{{MedalSilver|2022 Liptovský Mikuláš|K1 team}}
{{MedalBronze|2015 Markkleeberg|C1 team}}
{{MedalBronze|2019 Pau|C1}}
{{MedalBronze|2024 Tacen|C1 team}}
{{MedalCompetition|U23 World Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2014 Penrith|K1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2016 Kraków|C1 team}}
{{MedalGold|2017 Bratislava|C1 team}}
{{MedalSilver|2016 Kraków|C1}}
{{MedalSilver|2017 Bratislava|K1 team}}
{{MedalSilver|2018 Ivrea|C1}}
{{MedalBronze|2012 Wausau|C1 team}}
{{MedalBronze|2015 Foz do Iguaçu|C1}}
{{MedalBronze|2015 Foz do Iguaçu|C1 team}}
{{MedalBronze|2017 Bratislava|C1}}
{{MedalBronze|2018 Ivrea|K1}}
{{MedalBronze|2018 Ivrea|K1 team}}
{{MedalCompetition|U23 European Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2016 Solkan|C1}}
{{MedalGold|2016 Solkan|C1 team}}
{{MedalSilver|2016 Solkan|K1}}
{{MedalBronze|2012 Solkan|C1 team}}
{{MedalCompetition|Junior World Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2012 Wausau|K1 team}}
{{MedalSilver|2013 Liptovský Mikuláš|K1}}
{{MedalBronze|2012 Wausau|C1}}
{{MedalBronze|2013 Liptovský Mikuláš|C1 team}}
{{MedalCompetition|Junior European Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2012 Solkan|C1}}
{{MedalGold|2013 Bourg-Saint-Maurice|C1}}
{{MedalSilver|2012 Solkan|K1}}
{{MedalSilver|2013 Bourg-Saint-Maurice|K1 team}}
{{MedalBronze|2011 Banja Luka|K1 team}}
}}
Kimberley Woods (born 8 September 1995) is a British slalom canoeist who has competed in C1, K1 and KX1 at the international level since 2011.{{cite web|title=Profile|website=BritishCanoeing.org.uk|url=https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/olympic-paralympic/team/kimberley-woods/|access-date=15 May 2016}} A six time world and eight time European champion, she won the bronze medal in both the K1 event and the first ever women's kayak-cross (KX1) event in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Life
=Personal life=
Woods was born in 1995, one of four children living in Rugby. Aged four she watched her aunt Diane, who was a silver medallist at the 1994 World Junior canoeing Championships,{{cite web | last=Media | first=PA | title='It's finally me': kayaker Kimberley Woods' joy after claiming first Olympic medal | website=the Guardian | date=28 July 2024 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/28/its-finally-me-kimberley-woods-joy-after-claiming-first-olympic-medal | access-date=29 July 2024}} and was helped by her grandparents to get her own canoe. She was bullied as a child because of her physique and used canoeing as an escape from this.{{Cite news |last=McRae |first=Donald |date=2024-03-04 |title='My only outlet was self-harming': canoeist Kimberley Woods on taming depression and targeting Paris gold |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/04/kimberley-woods-canoeing-taming-depression-targeting-paris-olympics-gold |access-date=2024-07-25 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
She won three medals at the world junior competitions but was forced to stop canoeing because of an injury and turned to self-harming.
In 2013 she attended Rugby College and later, the University of Hertfordshire.{{Cite web |url=https://wcg.ac.uk/page/1046/former-student-and-future-olympian-visit-rugby-college-ahead-of-tokyo-2020 |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=wcg.ac.uk|title= Former student and future Olympian visit Rugby College ahead of Tokyo 2020 }}
Woods has been open about how she has struggled with mental health issues throughout her life. On two occasions she has checked into a private mental health hospital, and has stated how she experienced suicidal thoughts.
=Canoeing=
Woods has won 13 medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with six golds (Kayak cross: 2023; C1 team: 2017, 2018, 2023; K1 team: 2019, 2021), three silvers (C1: 2023; Kayak cross: 2022; K1 team: 2015) and four bronzes (K1: 2021; C1 team: 2022; K1 team: 2018, 2023).{{cite web|title=Kimberley WOODS (GBR)|url=https://canoeslalom.net/doku.php/en_sportler/spo_13497w|website=CanoeSlalom.net|access-date=26 September 2017}}
File:Woods K. – 2023 Canoe Slalom WC Prague 5458.jpg
She has also won 14 medals (eight golds, three silvers and three bronzes) at the European Championships, including a silver in the C1 team event at the 2023 European Games in Kraków.
Woods won the overall World Cup title in Kayak cross in 2023 and 2024.{{cite web|url=https://123result.blob.core.windows.net/canoe/CS_2023/siwidata/1976/CSLWX1----------------------------@Final%20Results.pdf |access-date=29 July 2023|title=2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup}}
She qualified to represent Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the Women's K1 event{{Cite web|url=https://www.teamgb.com/news/team-gb-canoeing-athletes-selected-for-tokyo-2020-olympic-games|title=Team GB canoeing athletes selected for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games|website=www.teamgb.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-24}} where she finished in 10th place.
In 2024 she returned to Olympic kayak competition, in Paris{{Cite web |date=2024-07-22 |title=The complete day-by-day guide to Team GB at Paris 2024 |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/olympics/story/_/id/40595835/team-gb-olympics-2024-guide-athletes-events-day-day |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} winning a bronze medal in the women's slalom K–1.{{cite web | last=Poole | first=Harry | title=Paris 2024 Olympics: Great Britain's Kimberley Woods wins kayak single bronze | website=BBC Sport | date=28 July 2024 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cqv56qgvxdno | access-date=28 July 2024}}
World Cup individual podiums
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center; border:gray solid 1px; width:40%;" | ||||
| rowspan="2" style="width:3%;"| | ||||
| style="width:2%;" bgcolor=gold|{{gold01}}
| style="width:2%;" bgcolor=silver|{{silver02}} | style="width:2%;" bgcolor=cc9966|{{bronze03}} | style="width:2%; background-color:#4180be; color:white;"|Total | ||||
| style="background-color:#4180be; color:white;"| C1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| style="background-color:#4180be; color:white;"| K1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| style="background-color:#4180be; color:white;"| Kayak cross | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| style="background:#369; color:white;"
| Total | 5 | 9 | 6 | 20 |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;"
!Season !Date !Venue !Position !Event | ||||
| rowspan=2| 2013 | align=right| 22 June 2013 | align=left| Cardiff | bgcolor=gold|1st | C1 |
| align=right| 29 June 2013 | align=left| Augsburg | bgcolor=cc9966|3rd | C1 | |
| rowspan=2| 2015 | align=right| 27 June 2015 | align=left| Kraków | bgcolor=silver|2nd | C1 |
| align=right| 8 August 2015 | align=left| La Seu d'Urgell | bgcolor=cc9966|3rd | C1 | |
| rowspan=2| 2016 | align=right| 4 June 2016 | align=left| Ivrea | bgcolor=cc9966|3rd | C1 |
| align=right| 10 September 2016 | align=left| Tacen | bgcolor=gold|1st | C1 | |
| rowspan=2| 2017 | align=right| 17 June 2017 | align=left| Prague | bgcolor=gold|1st | C1 |
| align=right| 18 June 2017 | align=left| Prague | bgcolor=silver|2nd | K1 | |
| rowspan=2| 2019 | align=right| 16 June 2019 | align=left| Lee Valley | bgcolor=silver|2nd | C1 |
| align=right| 8 September 2019 | align=left| Prague | bgcolor=silver|2nd | C1 | |
| 2022 | align=right| 26 June 2022 | align=left| Tacen | bgcolor=gold|1st | Kayak cross |
| rowspan=4| 2023 | align=right| 11 June 2023 | align=left| Prague | bgcolor=gold|1st | Kayak cross |
| align=right| 1 September 2023 | align=left| La Seu d'Urgell | bgcolor=cc9966|3rd | C1 | |
| align=right| 3 September 2023 | align=left| La Seu d'Urgell | bgcolor=silver|2nd | Kayak cross | |
| align=right| 8 October 2023 | align=left| Vaires-sur-Marne | bgcolor=silver|2nd | Kayak cross | |
| rowspan=5| 2024 | align=right| 16 June 2024 | align=left| Kraków | bgcolor=cc9966|3rd | Kayak cross |
| align=right| 14 September 2024 | align=left| Ivrea | bgcolor=silver|2nd | C1 | |
| align=right| 15 September 2024 | align=left| Ivrea | bgcolor=silver|2nd | Kayak cross | |
| align=right| 21 September 2024 | align=left| La Seu d'Urgell | bgcolor=cc9966|3rd | C1 | |
| align=right| 22 September 2024 | align=left| La Seu d'Urgell | bgcolor=silver|2nd | Kayak cross |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Sports links}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Footer World Champions Canoe Slalom C-1 Team Women}}
{{Footer World Champions Canoe Slalom Extreme K1 Women}}
{{Footer World Champions Canoe Slalom K-1 Team Women}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, Kimberley}}
Category:English female canoeists
Category:British female canoeists
Category:Medalists at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
Category:Olympic canoeists for Great Britain
Category:Canoeists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Canoeists at the 2023 European Games
Category:European Games silver medalists for Great Britain
Category:European Games medalists in canoeing
Category:Sportspeople from Rugby, Warwickshire
Category:Canoeists at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic medalists in canoeing
Category:Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain
Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics