Ivana Chlebova was one of two Slovakians who were fastest qualifiers today at the ICF Junior and Under-23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Slovenia ©Nina Jelenc/ICF

Slovakia qualified two athletes fastest and France and the Czech Republic continued their solid week with strong performances on the third day of the International Canoe Federation’s Junior and Under-23 Canoe Slalom World Championships at Ljubljana in Slovenia.

The fastest qualifier in the men’s K1 juniors was Frenchman Titouan Castryck, who finished more than one second in front of Slovenia's Urban Gajsek.

Slovakia sent two athletes through to the semi-finals as fastest qualifiers - Ivana Chlebova in the junior K1, and Simona Glejtekova in the U23 C1.

Chlebova, who also qualified third fastest in the C1, is in her final year of competition as a junior and celebrated by posting an error-free fastest time in the K1 qualifiers.

"I didn’t feel under any pressure, and just went with the waves," Chlebova told ICF.

"It’s my last year in the junior category, so I’ve told myself to really push it and we will see how it goes".

Team mate Glejtekova put together one of the most impressive runs of the day, qualifying fastest by more than one second in the women’s U23 C1 qualifiers.

Spain’s Klara Olazabal, who just missed Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification, went into today’s competition as the number one athlete and safely progressed through in 12th place.

"It was enough for the semi-final, so I am happy with that, but I had some trouble at the beginning, I didn’t have a good line so I struggled," Olazabal said.

Jamaica's Solomon Maragh made history today at the ICF Junior and Under-23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Slovenia by becoming the first from his country to compete in an ICF championship ©Nina Jelenc/ICF
Jamaica's Solomon Maragh made history today at the ICF Junior and Under-23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Slovenia by becoming the first from his country to compete in an ICF championship ©Nina Jelenc/ICF

"This is an emotional week because it is my last year in under-23, so whatever is the result I will be happy with this experience.

"I have never been bib number one, so that was kind of a shock but a good surprise".

Czech paddler Tereza Kneblova was the fastest in the women’s junior C1 qualifiers, finishing more than one second in front of Slovakia’s Zuzana Pankova.

Evy Leibfarth of the United States, who will head from Slovenia to Tokyo to make her Olympic debut, qualified sixth fastest in the morning’s junior K1, and fourth fastest in the C1 in the afternoon.

Meanwhile 16-year-old Solomon Maragh made history as he took to the water in the first heat of the junior K1 competition and became the first ever Jamaican athlete to compete at an International Canoe Federation event.

He did not qualify for the semi-finals, but was happy with his two runs, and happy to have made history for his country.

"I feel really proud to have represented my country, and I’ve done the best that I can do for a developing nation," Maragh said.

Tomorrow is set to feature the semi-finals and finals in the men’s and women’s under-23 kayak and the men's and women's junior canoe competitions.