The 37-year-old claimed the world title in both the K1 1,000 metres and K1 5,000 metres, helping Portugal finish seventh in the medal table among 77 participating nations.

Pimenta secured his first gold on Saturday in the Olympic K1 1,000-metre event. The result made him the oldest athlete to become world champion in one of canoe sprint’s most important races.

He has now collected nine World Championship medals in the K1 1,000 metres, including four golds, two silvers and three bronzes, making him the most successful athlete in the history of the event.

His second victory came on Sunday in the K1 5,000 metres, the final race of the championships.

Pimenta completed the event in 24 minutes and 15.72 seconds, finishing ahead of South Africa’s Hamish Lovemore and Denmark’s Mads Pedersen.

It was his third world title over the 5,000-metre distance, following previous victories in 2017 and 2018. He has also won three silver medals and one bronze in the event.

Portugal ended the championships with a total of four medals.

João Ribeiro and Messias Baptista won silver in the K2 500 metres, while Gustavo Gonçalves, João Ribeiro, Messias Baptista and Pedro Casinha secured bronze in the K4 500 metres.

President António José Seguro congratulated Pimenta and the Portuguese national team, describing the four medals as another demonstration of the strength of Portuguese canoeing.

Following his second victory, Pimenta said he intends to continue competing while he has the physical and mental strength to challenge for the leading positions.

The canoeist from Ponte de Lima is already one of Portugal’s most decorated athletes. His career also includes an Olympic silver medal in the K2 1,000 metres at London 2012 and an Olympic bronze in the K1 1,000 metres at Tokyo 2020.