At the beginning of this year, ADCO Sports Excellence Scholar Claudia Bailey said her greatest ambition for 2023 was to place in the top three at the world juniors – and now she’s gone one better.
This week Bailey, 18, has been in Italy competing at the ICF Junior Canoe Sprint World Championships where she placed second in the K1 500 with a time of 1:53.56.
Along with her shiny new silverware, Bailey also secured a two-second personal best time of 1:53.56, just 0.11 seconds behind gold medallist Angelina Szegedi from Hungary.
After racing her fastest time ever, Bailey said: “While a podium finish has been my major goal for the past 12 months, getting my new personal best time tops it all for me.
“I had the Hungarian pushing me the whole way and it just came down to gritting the teeth at the end and getting to the finish line – I’m very happy with how it turned out.”
The race held significant meaning for Bailey, as she dedicated her silver medal to her late grandmother who passed away before the championships.
“I definitely felt her presence during the race,” she said.
While her parents were unable to accompany her overseas, Claudia’s twin sister Alyssa Bailey was with her the whole time as they competed together in the K4 500 race.
In the K4 500 final Claudia, Alyssa, and teammates Samantha Lourey and Jasmine Rayward finished fourth in the world with a time of 1:37.75, only 0.26 seconds away from a bronze medal.
These outstanding results have only further sweetened what has been a breakthrough season for Claudia after making her senior team debut at the World Cup in Hungary earlier this year.
“I’m really enjoying travelling with the senior team at a younger age as it really pushes me to grow as an athlete,” she said.
Bailey’s pursuit of excellence is evident in both her sporting success and her efforts towards her studies.
Propelled by her ADCO Sports Excellence Scholarship, the Exercise and Sports Science student has been studying part time at Bond since the beginning of this year, balancing - and excelling - in all areas of her life.
Next month she will travel to Germany to compete in the Senior ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, marking her second appearance in a worldwide senior competition.
The World Championships will also serve as a qualification event for the 2024 Paris Olympics – Bailey’s next big goal.
“While I am still new to the senior team it will be an amazing experience to be racing there with the world’s best athletes,” she said.
“The pressure will certainly be on.”
Straight after the world championships Bailey will head to France to prepare for the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup.
The World Cup will take place on the Paris Olympic course, perhaps foreshadowing Bailey’s exciting future for 2024.