Krakow (from our correspondent) – “The gold was quite unexpected for everyone. Maybe then people perceived that it was a coincidence, but I worked hard to add another result that would convince them that it was not a coincidence. I believe it was successful,” he announced with a satisfied smile.
The success in life the year before last slowed down his brilliantly launched career a little. “I went through a self-inflicted postmaster’s hangover,” he admitted. “I immediately started training, which everyone was discouraging me from, and my body gave me a stopwatch. It took me the whole of last season to not only take care of my body, but also give it back what it needs,” he explained.
Miloslav Říha’s protégé did well already in the semi-finals in Kraków, when he drove the fastest of all and one touch of the goal set him up for victory. “In the final, the ride wasn’t so great, it rubbed a little, but I’m excited that I still managed it,” he admitted.
Then he was already sitting in the place for the trio of the best and watching the ride of the Slovenian favorite Benjamin Savšek. When he messed up during the ride, the other competitors congratulated Chaloupek, but the Czech slalom skier still held them back. It wasn’t until Savšek crossed the finish line that he grabbed his head and beamed with happiness.
By eight hundredths, he beat Jiří Prskavec, the kayaking world champion, who quickly established himself among canoeists as well. “For me, he is the best kayaker in history, and for him to canoe like this in his first year, it’s unbelievable. It is valuable for me that I can imbibe his mentality,” he said.
Photo: Ivana Roháčková
Canoeist Václav Chaloupka is going for bronze from the European Games.
The two medalists shared a room together in Krakow. “So Jíra gave me at least a piece of that golden shine and I took the bronze from it,” he smiled. And then, with a serious face, he praised the approach of Spruce: “His great quality is that he is terribly open.” Whatever I ask him, he tells me everything. He is the best in the world and at the same time he pulls the whole team with him.”
But only one Czech will go to the Olympic Games in Paris on a canoe in a year, and that is still in the game, the silver medalist from Tokyo, Lukáš Rohan. “Nominating myself for the Olympics is my goal. I don’t want to be afraid of it, or to avoid it,” says Chaloupka without a trace.
On Tuesday the stateswoman
But now he has a closer civilian goal. On Tuesday, he will have his final exams in the field of sports management. “I was learning here as well, but on Wednesday I said to myself that I will postpone it and I have to concentrate on the races. I hope that when I open teaching, it will jump out at me again,” he wishes.
“I think I was a very exemplary student at the gymnasium in Olomouc, after moving to Prague, water became a priority, I slacked off a bit. I’m not proud of myself for that, but I hope to finish it on Tuesday,” believes Chaloupka.