At the Canoe World Championships in non-Olympic disciplines in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Olympic gold medalist Martin Fuksa won the silver medal in the 500-meter race. “In a very challenging season, this was my last race of the year. Now I have to rest,” he said in an interview with Aktuálně.cz.
Did you have any ideas about medals before the competition?
My desire was to win and thus confirm the first place from the Olympics, which I did not do. Nevertheless, I also value the silver metal very much. I gathered another valuable experience and in addition I was able to at least get a glimpse of an area where major sporting events are held just separately.
What did your week-long stay in Samarkand tell you?
In a way, the city reminded me of Moscow and the history of Uzbekistan belonging to the Soviet Union. In other words, megalomania, everything is big, concrete everywhere, including the borders of the race track.
Did you have time and opportunity to look around town?
Even several times and I was very surprised that the streets everywhere were clean, people were walking in good clothes and the atmosphere was calm with very little noise very pleasant. Today’s hotels were no exception.
Did the organizers of the competition prepare conditions similar to what you are used to?
The transport from the hotel to the track was perfect, but I don’t like big waves. These were created because the water was showing off the concrete walls. It is not possible to use the method while driving there. The temperature of around 35 degrees was also not so good, but it was not the fault of the organizers. Otherwise, everything went well.
Did you also have to deal with something unpleasant during your stay?
Supply. It wasn’t about quality, it was about quantity. We received, without exaggeration, a very small portion, and there was no possibility of exceeding it. And so I ordered another lunch or dinner in the room.
How did you feel when you left Samarkand?
Mixed because the flight was delayed twelve hours. Otherwise, however, there was satisfaction and I am glad that I got to know a part of the world that I did not know again.
What is your schedule for the coming weeks?
I’m looking forward to being around the middle of October, that my wife and my one-year-old daughter and I will have nice days full of happiness, without the anxiety and stress that came with sports year. Most of the time we stay on the territory of our republic.
So you don’t even plan to participate in the national championship in the five kilometer race in the middle of September?
Although I have collected a total of 58 titles on my home runs, I am only two short of the 60 oft-cited. Besides, there is one canoeist here in Nymburk who will finish this year and I would like to try to win with him in the doubles, as well as my singles. However, even this motivation may not stop my rest.
You may also be interested – Winners coming from Paris to Prague:
Josef Dostál, Martin Fuksa and Nikola Ogrodníková coming from Paris | Video: CTK
2024-08-29 18:02:55
#small #Fuksa #complained #Uzbekistan #Moscow #Currently.cz
