British Paralympic canoeing champion Laura Sugar has already set herself the target of winning her third consecutive gold medal in Los Angeles in 2028.
Despite the strong wind on the last day of the competition in Paris, the 33-year-old won two titles in a row in the 200-meter KL3 event.
Sugar won her first KL3 Paralympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, three years after switching from track sprinting to canoeing.
After another victory in France, Sugar said she would love to make it a hat-trick of gold medals in the United States in four years.
“I want it,” Sugar told BBC Essex’s Sport Extra programme.
“You can never say for sure, because of funding or injuries, but I want to stay in this sport as long as possible.
“I have a lot of family that lives in California, so it almost feels like a second home game in LA.
She added: “I would love to go there, but you have to take it year by year. Just getting into the team is difficult, let alone getting a medal, so you can’t take anything for granted.
“But that’s definitely the goal: to try to get to LA and see what happens.”
Sugar said the windy conditions in Vaires-sur-Marne on Sunday helped her beat home athlete Nelia Barbosa, who took silver, and German bronze medallist Felicia Laberer.
“We train in the UK so we were the best prepared,” she said.
“I’ve had so many responses from people all over the world, like, ‘Why don’t they cancel it, why don’t they move it?’
“I knew I was going to be a bit nervous because there was a crosswind and that’s probably the most difficult thing to paddle in technically because it can knock you sideways.
“But deep down I knew we were the best prepared because in Nottingham we have those strong winds and we are used to dealing with the elements.”
Her husband Tom Collett said it was “incredible” to see Sugar retain the gold medal and he is also backing her to compete again in Los Angeles.
“It’s a pleasure to be part of Laura’s life and her journey,” he added.
“I hope she can go to LA as well because it will be another fantastic trip and something we would be very grateful for.”
