Double Paralympic champion Laura Sugar is chasing more glory at this week’s 2025 ICF Para-canoe World Championships in Milan.
Wales’ Sugar, 34, has back-to-back Paralympic titles to her name but says the buzz of competition still drives her.
Sugar, a four-time world champion, will line up against the best in the world at the Milan event, which runs from 20-24 August as part of the Canoe Sprint World Championships.
“I like racing and I like competing so I’m never going to shy away from doing that,” she said.
Since winning her second successive Paralympic KL3 gold in Paris, Sugar has faced a year of change, which has seen the arrival of a new performance director and coach at Paddle UK.
“It’s been a very different year. Qu
Double Paralympic champion Laura Sugar is aiming for further success at the 2025 ICF Para-Canoe World Championships in Milan this week.
The 34-year-old Welsh athlete, already a back-to-back Paralympic gold medalist, says her passion for competition remains undiminished.
A four-time world champion, Sugar will face the world’s best at the Milan event, running from 20-24 August as part of the Canoe Sprint World Championships.
“I love racing and competing, so I’ll never shy away from it,” she said.
Since claiming her second consecutive Paralympic KL3 gold in Paris, Sugar has navigated a year of transition, with a new performance director and coach joining Paddle UK.
“It’s been a very different year. Many of us had time out, then we lost a performance director and our coach,” she explained.
“So it’s been a bit up and down. But I love racing. No matter my condition, if I can get on the start line, I will.”
Despite the upheaval, Sugar claimed gold at this year’s European Championships in Racice, Czech Republic, and she is now focused on defending her world title.
“As a competitor, as long as I’m on that start line, I’ll give it my all,” she added.
“There’s real quality in the KL3 – at the Europeans, second to sixth was separated by just half a second. On the day, anything can happen, and that’s what makes it exciting. I just want to race, give everything, and hope the speed is there.”
ite a few of us have had time out, then we lost a performance director and lost our coach,” she said.
“So it’s been very up and down. But I like racing. No matter what shape I’m in, if I can go and race, I will.”
Despite the changes behind the scenes, Sugar won gold at this year’s European Championships in Racice, Czech Republic.
Former Welsh hockey international Sugar says the focus now is on defending her world title.
“I’m a competitor so as long as I’ve got a chance and I’m on that start line, I will do my best,” she added.
“There’s some real quality in the KL3 – at the Europeans, second to sixth was separated by just half a second.
“On the day you can finish anywhere and that’s the excitement. I just want to be on that start line, give it everything, and hope the speed is there.”
