Kimberley Woods, age 28, is an female slalom canoeist from Rugby, England who has competed at the international level since 2011. Now she is competing in upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.
Kimberley Woods Qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics
Kimberley Woods, the British slalom canoeist, has secured her place on the Team GB roster for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This marks her second appearance at the event, following her debut at the Tokyo Olympics.
Woods will be competing in two thrilling events: women’s kayak and kayak cross. Her selection for the Paris Olympics came during which she collected eight medals, including four at the home World Championships held at the London 2012 Olympic venue.
“I’m really excited to be a part of Team GB again for Paris 2024. Some people don’t get to go to one Olympics so I feel very fortunate to be going to my second Games. It’s not just the one class this time I’ll be racing, I have two events so twice the opportunity to win a medal. Being World Champion and world number one has never happened to me before. I really want to build on that leading into Paris.”
Woods said on the occasion of selection
Kimberley Woods Early Years with her parents in Rugby
Kimberley Woods was born on September 8, 1995, in Rugby, England. Known as “Kimbo” among her peers, Woods stands at a height of 1.62 meters (5 feet 4 inches) and weighs 62 kilograms (137 pounds). In her spare time, she finds joy in watching her favorite television programs, creating videos, and playing with the family’s house cats.
Kimberley’s father, John Woods, was born and raised in Rugby, Warwickshire. Throughout his professional life, John has taken on various roles and positions, transitioning between different jobs over the years. Currently, he holds the title of Former Managing Director at Woods Safety, a company he previously led as its top executive. John’s educational background includes attending East Warwickshire College
Kathleen Woods, Kimberley’s mother, is also from Rugby, Warwickshire her hometown. She currently holds a position at J R Press and received her education at Newbold Grange High School. Kimberley’s parents, John and Kathleen got married on 11 February 2013. As a family, they share a passion for petting dogs and exploring new destinations through their travels.
She completed (Bachelor of Science, Honors), Sports Studies at the University of Hertfordshire in 2017. From a young age, Kimberley Woods has been under the guidance of coach Craig Morris. When it comes to her food preferences, Maltesers and chicken Dumplings have become her favorite foods.
Kimberley Woods is in a Relationship with Elliott Woodman
Well-known British female canoe slalom racer Kimberley Woods has been in a long term relationship with boyfriend Elliott Woodman. He first posted a photo with Woods in 2017 after she won gold in the C1 event and silver in K1 at the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Prague.
He is frequently spotted in the crowds cheering her on during major events and championship races.
Kimberley Woods Canoeing Career
Kimberley Woods’ passion for canoeing was inspired by the performance of her aunt, who secured a silver medal at the 1994 Junior World Championships. Her aunt won on a recorded tape, Woods was attracted by the sport and wanted to follow in her footsteps. With the support of her grandparents, she learned to swim before canoeing, Woods persevered and earned her 50-meter swimming badge in Year 3. And took her to the local canoe club, where she first learned to paddle a kayak in a swimming pool, sparking her lifelong love for the sport.
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In 2004, Kimberley Woods took a step in her career by joining the Rugby Canoe Club. A year later, in 2005, she was on her first competitive attempt, participating in slalom events.
Kimberley Woods has since become a versatile athlete, competing in both C1 and K1 slalom events. Her dedication and talent have earned her a place among the British senior teams since 2012. Just a year later, in 2013, she secured her first senior C1 medal at the World Cup in Cardiff.
Canoe Slalom World Championships
Kimberley Woods has won a total of 13 medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships. Out of these, she has won 6 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals. Her gold medals came from different events,1 gold in the Kayak Cross event (2023), 3 golds in the C1 team event (2017, 2018, 2023), and 2 golds in the K1 team event (2019, 2021).
For silver medals, she won 1 in the individual C1 event (2023), 1 in Kayak Cross (2022), and 1 in the K1 team event (2015). Her 4 bronze medals were for the individual K1 event (2021), C1 team event (2022), and 2 bronzes in the K1 team event (2018, 2023).
In addition to her World Championships success, Woods has also won 13 medals at the European Championships. This includes 8 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals.
One of her standout achievements was winning a silver medal in the C1 team event at the 2023 European Games in Krakow, Poland.
Woods secured the overall World Cup title in Kayak cross in 2023. Additionally, she qualified to represent Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, competing in the Women’s K1 event where she finished in an impressive 10th place.
Kimberley Idol
In the world of canoeing, Kimberley Woods has found her inspiration and role model in Jessica Fox, who stands as the most successful woman in the sport. For Woods, Fox is not only an idol but also a cherished friend.
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“To see her grow from a 17-year-old (2012) at my first world championships in Wausau, Wisconsin, to a 24-year-old winning both C1 and K1 at the World Championships in Rio. I hope to be competing alongside her for years to come.”
Woods declares
