Xu Shixiao (R)/Sun Mengya of China celebrate winning the canoe sprint women's canoe double 500m final. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese pair Xu Shixiao and Sun Mengya won the first-ever women's canoe double 500 meters gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.

At Tokyo's Sea Forest Waterway, they led throughout the race to win in a time of 1:55.495, setting an Olympic record as women's canoe sprint events made their Olympic Games debut in Tokyo. Previously, female athletes competed in the kayak section.