A Boost Before Paris! Canoeist Satková doesn't compare the race to the olympics

Behind every success lies a lot of hard work. Gabriela Satková's triumph at the World Cup in Prague's Troja, however, required something more. "I knew I had to show something special to beat the girls. It's not enough just to go down the course without mistakes. So I went for it, and I am very happy with myself," laughed the twenty-two-year-old canoeist at the finish line. "I really tried to take risks."

She didn't ride without mistakes, the risk showed at gate number 6, which she lightly touched. "It was really unnecessary because I didn't have to touch that gate at all, it was just a slight brush. So I told myself: What can I do, I already touched it, so now I'll try to make up time somewhere else," Satková recounted.

She already knew what to do and what not to do. The day before, she finished eighth among the kayakers. "I was really afraid of the 11-12 combination, where I was let down in the kayak. But this time I was careful about this passage." In the canoe final, she also had the support of her older sister Martina, who finished eighth. "Martina is incredible in the support she gives me, even though it must be incredibly hard for her when it doesn't go well for her. But even so, she's the first one to come and congratulate me."

On the verge of the Olympic Games in Paris, the gold race boosted her confidence. "At the same time, I try to keep my feet on the ground. The Olympic race will be completely different, I've never ridden anything like that and I know my competitors have. The pressure will be enormous and can't be compared to any other race. In Paris, there will be 12,000 spectators," Satková described. "On the other hand, it at least gave me the feeling that I have what it takes to compete with the best, and that motivates me for further training. Whether the Olympics will be successful or not is written in the stars."

Now she will throw herself into training with all her might. "I'm skipping the World Cup in Krakow, I'll be focusing on training. Then I have a training camp in Paris and the Under-23 World Championship, which I decided to attend despite it being before Paris," she revealed. "I want to enjoy my last year in this age category because one day I might regret not going. I'm looking forward to it, I'll be there with my team partners, who I normally don't have time for. And then, the Olympics!"