Kimberley Woods
Slalom - Podium
Kimberley Woods realised her Olympic dream at the Tokyo 2020 Games, having had her first insight as a member of the Team GB Ambition Programme at Rio 2016. The Rugby born paddler finished 10th in the women's K1 event and produced some excellent runs going through the rounds.
Off the back of her debut Games, Kimberley went on to produce her best ever result at the senior World Championships, winning bronze in the women's kayak despite being involved in a car accident whilst out in Bratislava just days before the competition got underway.
To conclude a strong 2019 season, Kimberley came sixth in the women's kayak at the World Championships to claim her Olympic spot.
Kimberley competes in both C1 and K1 slalom and has been a member of the British senior teams since 2012. She won her first senior C1 medal the following year at the World Cup in Cardiff and has gone from strength to strength.
2019 was an impressive season for Kimberley, winning C1 silver at World Cup 1 at Lee Valley, also finishing fourth in K1. In the last race before the World Championships she again claimed C1 silver at the World Cup Final in Prague to ensure she celebrated a happy birthday!
Kimberley has a strong track record at the European Championships becoming senior European Champion in C1 in 2015 and 2017 and also has two junior and one U23 European title in this event. In 2019 she won the C1 Team event for a fourth successive time with teammates Mallory Franklin and Sophie Ogilvie.
At the 2018 World Championships in Rio she retained her C1 Team title and also won bronze in the K1 Team event.
Kimberley’s individual medal success in 2018 came in what was her final year in the U23 World Championships, winning silver in the C1 and bronze in the K1 as well as a bronze in the K1 Team event. This kept up her impressive record of winning a C1 medal at every U23 World Championship she competed in 2015-2018.
She has won a total of nine individual World Cup medals to date including three gold in C1 and one silver in K1.
Kimberley has a degree in Sports Studies from Hertfordshire University.
