Source: Ostseezeitung | Translation: Ulla Fischer - The 29-year old sprint canoe athlete Gordan Harbrecht often trains alone. His big goal is to participate in the Olympic summer games in Rio 2016. The Rostock- athlete sees his chances especially in the K4.

The day has only just begun. The premises of the Rostock canoe club are deserted. With only one hand, Gordan Harbrecht carries his 12 kg heavy and 5.20 meter long kayak to the Warnow River. Trainings start at dawn. Once more without coach, as the Rostock top- athlete prefers to do his own thing. But that is no problem, because the 29-year old is hard enough on himself. Neither rain or sub-zero temperatures, nor a lack of motivation or private fun can hold him back from his training sessions. “I have a goal. I want to start at the Olympic Games in Rio next year. Therefore, I have to subordinate everything else”, Harbrecht explains. As he talks about his sport, it becomes clear that he is serious about it and determined: “I have not accomplished yet, what I have dreamed of”. Harbrecht trains on the water at least twice a day and does regular weight training.  In addition, he uses physiotherapy treatments, performance diagnostics and special trainings sessions, which assess his technique, to evaluate his performance. In the end of 2014, the athlete has taken part in a four-week trainings camp in California. The workload was tough: four trainings sessions on the water per day, of which two were with the German top- athletes Max Hoff and Andreas Ihle. “We paddled around 220 km each week. That was very hard and gruelling but also a lot of fun”, Harbrecht, who was proud to be selected for the trainings camp, reports.

After great disappointments in the previous race season- Harbrecht did not perform well at world cups and could not qualify for the European and World championships – he is resolute to tackle this season. The 1.95 cm tall and 98 kg heavy athlete does not see it as a disadvantage that he is not regularly training with his opponents at the trainings bases in Neubrandenburg or Essen. “I am perfectly able to work off the training plan by myself. In the end, it will be the results of the national elimination heats that count.” This is where the Rostocker- athlete, who feels deeply connected to his hometown, wants to push through against his opponents. From the idea to graduate from his studies in mechanical engineering at around the same time, he got way a while ago. “It just does not work. I study a full time course as if it was a distance learning one. It is no surprise to me that I will need longer than my fellow students that go to university every day and have time to study at home”, the student explains. His credo: “It is only the port that matters until Rio. This defines my life.” Currently, next to Harbrechts preparations for the race season and the Olympic Games, there is also no space for a relationship. “I am just tired and drained in the evenings. If not, then I also like to go for a beer into the city”, he says.

In the end of January, the preparation of the national team for the race season gets to the critical phase. Harbrecht will be in Sabaudia, Italy, for a trainings camp with the team. “Max Hoff will most likely keep the spot in the K1, but I see good chances to get into the K4. This would be a good spot to be able to go to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.”

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