By Bonnie Hancock
It could be considered risky for an Olympic gold medallist to switch events, but kayaker Jean van der Westhuyzen did just that and came up aces.
The Bond University alumnus was Australia’s most successful athlete at the opening World Cup event in Hungary, claiming gold and silver in the first meet of the new Olympic selection period.
The 27-year-old dominated the men’s k1 500m, laying down a personal best time of 1:35.81 to claim gold in pristine paddling conditions.
The win came a day after combining with younger brother Pierre, Jackson Collins, and Riley Fitzsimmons to snag silver in the k4 500m, in what was van der Westhuyzen’s first international appearance in the biggest boat of the competition.
It is the first time the dual Olympian hasn’t raced his favoured tandem events.
He already boasts gold and bronze medals in the k2 events in Tokyo and Paris respectively.
Van der Westhuzen says he’s thriving amid the challenge of the new events as he pushes towards LA 2028.
“It’s always a pleasure to be out there racing,” he told Paddle Australia after his gold medal effort.
“I’ve come second and third a couple of times in the K1 500m, so I’m really happy to come out with the gold”.
All members of the men’s quartet took the year after Paris to recuperate, switching their eight-kilogram kayaks for a more durable 18-kg surf ski to compete in Surf Lifesaving competitions.
Proving his versatility, van der Westhuyzen took bronze in the open men’s ski at the 2025 Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships.
Bondies Clauda and Alyssa Bailey also performed well in Hungary, finishing 9th in the A final of the K4 500m and 1st in the B final of the K1 1000m respectively.
The Aussies will have another chance to earn valuable points towards securing Olympic quota spots at the second World Cup in Brandenburg, Germany this weekend.