The 23-year-old was fastest off the start but was pushed hard by newcomers Victor Potanin of Russia and Pier Alberto Buccoliero of Italy, who settled for silver and bronze respectively.

"I feel exhausted from the race, but I feel happy for Paracanoe sport because the field comes closer and closer together," said Swoboda.

He also claimed that the higher standard of competition is making his discipline "more exciting", though he still remains the man to beat in the class.

Elsewhere, in the K1 men's 200m LTA, Brazilian Caio Ribeiro De Carvalho won his nation's first gold medal of the Championships with a fine performance to outsprint Tahiti's former champion Patrick Viriamu, who took silver, and eventual bronze medallist Tomasz Mazdzierski of Poland.

"I tried to stay focused the whole time and not to get lost because of the pressure", said Carvalho following his win.

But despite the fact his nation will host the next Paralympic Games in 2016, where Paracanoe will make its debut, Carvalho insisted that home support is likely to have less of an impact on his performance than it has done for home athletes at past Games.

"Compared to other first-world countries we still struggle a lot," he claimed.

"You always notice changes in the city, but the athletes are always forgotten."

Brazil's Caio Ribeiro De Carvalho celebrates his victory in the K1 men's 200m LTA

Canada's Christine Gauthier overcame a stuttering start to successfully defend the K1 women's 200m LTA title that she won in Poznan three years ago, edging out Anne Dickens of Great Britain in silver and Cindy Moreau of France who took bronze.

"I feel excellent," said Gauthier on retaining her crown.

"It was a really, really hard race.

"This one means the world to me, better than the other ones before."

"I've made some mistakes and I still have some work to do.

"That's a positive; I want to keep on working at it."

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