Curtis McGrath retained his men's KL2 title today ©Getty Images

World champions Serhii Yemelianov and Curtis McGrath successfully defended their Rio 2016 Paralympic titles at the Sea Forest Waterway, as the first canoeing finals were held today at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

McGrath of Australia won his second men's KL2 200-metre title at the Sea Forest Waterway in a time of 41.426sec.

He was one of five defending champions from Rio 2016 heading into Tokyo 2020.

In second was Ukraine's Mykola Syniuk, who just had enough to hold off Italian bronze medallist Federico Mancarella.

Much like fellow world champion McGrath, Ukrainian Yemelianov successfully defended his Paralympic title, crossing the line in 40.355.

Leonid Krylov of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) gave him a shock, but finished a tenth behind for silver. 

Britain's Robert Oliver snatched the bronze from Australian Dylan Littlehales by just eight thousandths of a second.

Hungary's Peter Kiss was more than two seconds in front of his nearest rival to win the gold medal in the men's KL1 200m final in 45.447.

Luis Carlos Cardoso da Silva of Brazil claimed the silver and Remy Boulle of France won bronze.

Britain's Emma Wiggs took the win in the women's VL2 200m final, setting a new personal best of 57.028.

She was more than four seconds in front of Susan Seipel of Australia, who took silver; and Jeanette Chippington joined her team mate Wiggs on the podium in third.