Bled (from our correspondent) – The rower originally from Valtice had a great start to his career. Silver with Miroslav Jech at the Youth Olympics, at the age of twenty he was seventh with Jakub Podrazel at the “big” Olympics in Rio, with the same partner he dominated the overall ranking of the World Cup.
But in January 2020, a shocking decision came for many. “I have decided to end my career,” he tweeted. At just 23 years old. He justified the verdict by saying that he is no longer happy with rowing, he does not look forward to training or competitions.
He remained in the role of coach in his fateful sport, occasionally competing in Mayoral races or hobby races, but he began a new stage of his professional life as a real estate broker.
When last year’s World Championships in Račice were approaching, Helešice felt the urge to return to top rowing. “My hands were itching as I watched the races from the start. Even people around rowing told me that I finished early, to come back,” he describes.
And so, at the end of the holidays, he leaned into full preparation, although it was not easy at all. “It was hitting the wall. I recovered from it for two months, but the body remembered,” says the now 27-year-old rower. He fulfilled the performance condition for returning to Dukla, joined Michal Vabroušek’s group, but kept his civilian job in addition to training.
Photo: Detlev Seyb
Lukáš Helešič and Václav Baldrián on Lake Bled.
“We go on the water early in the morning, then at work I handle emails and meetings and in the evening the next phase. It’s challenging, but I’m glad I’m not just focused on rowing. They help me at work and my girlfriend gives me the biggest support at home. If she didn’t stand behind me, it wouldn’t be possible, I’m grateful to her for that,” he thanks from a distance.
All that remained was to find partners for the boat, the currently ill Podrazil already rides with Jan Cincibuch on a double skiff, Helešic teamed up with former junior world champion in the pair four Václav Baldrián. “He moved from a larger crew and from singles rowing. We’ve only been riding together since March, but Vašek is smart,” he believes in the crew’s future.
Places at the Paris Olympics will be fought for at the World Championships in September, and the European Championship showed the newly formed crew that they still have a difficult way up.
