2015 ICF World Championships Slalom
 
1
2
3
K1M
CZ J. PRSKAVEC
PL M. POLACZYK
US M. SMOLEN
K1W
CZ K. KUDEJOVA
DE R. FUNK
DE M. PFEIFER
C1M
GB D. FLORENCE
SI B. SAVSEK
GB R. WESTLEY
C1W
AU J. FOX
CZ K. HOSKOVA
ES N. VILARRUBLA
C2
DE ANTON/BENZIEN
FR PICCO/BISO
FR KLAUSS/PECHE

Canoe Sprint

Portrait of Viktoria Schwarz: A kayak queen paddles towards a golden future

canoe kayak sprint ana roxana viktoria schwarz austria fernando fernandes brazil athletes lt1 interview sportscene icf video

To watch the video (in German) click here.

Article/Video from LT1 | Translation to English by Ulla Fischer - In 2011 kayak world champion with Yvonne Schuring, Viktoria Schwarz now targets an Olympic gold medal in Rio 2016 with her new K2-partner. ”Of cause it is our goal to win a medal, but we know it will be hard. This is the dream of every athlete and we will give our best to duly represent Austria” says Viktoria, who has been at Olympic Games twice.

Especially for this purpose, the successful Italian trainer Guglielmo Guerrini was hired. He is training the girls regularly on the racecourse in Ottensheim. “I experienced that there comes a point at which you cannot improve as an athlete unless you change your approach. We have changed many training methods. It is more intensive and more regulated. We do gymnastics and train mobility and rump stability. This is part of the whole, just as nutrition and physiotherapy”, Viktora comments the methods of the new trainer.

canoe kayak sprint ana roxana viktoria schwarz austria fernando fernandes brazil athletes lt1 interview sportscene icf videoViktoria is honest and says directly if she does not like something. She can be moody but she is the funniest person I know. It never gets boring during the training”, describes Ana Roxana Lehaci her new K2- partner. In return Viktoria says “There is a blind understanding between Ana and me. I think it is great to share the success, especially with someone you like that much.”

Also in her private life, Viktoria is very happy with former Brazilian super model Fernando Fernandes de Padua, who is bound to a wheelchair since a tragic car accident. His plan B in life is para- canoe. Both met through the sport. “In the beginning we have only been friends and I thought she is a great athlete. Then we got to know each other better. I like her natural and friendly way. And then there is something I cannot explain, I don’t know why. She is just so much stronger than me”, says Fernando.

canoe kayak sprint ana roxana viktoria schwarz austria fernando fernandes brazil athletes lt1 interview sportscene icf videoThe long distance relationship works. “We are in Brazil often at the moment due to the Olympics in 2016. The circumstances on the racecourse will be difficult with lots of side winds, so we have to attune to that. Fernando, on the other hand, will train in Austria from time to time, he likes it here”, says Viktoria.

And who knows, maybe he will be coming to Austria for good one day. “Maybe in the summer. I think it is nice and peaceful here”, says Fernando. “Upper Austria is truly beautiful. I only really realised when showing Fernando and his team around”, Viktoria replies.

At this moment, the canoe girl and her boyfriend are in Rio to see the racecourse-For a golden future and boundless love.

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