The Remarkable Rise of Being Mirka

by Melissa Bray

Single star Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic
© Getty Images

Premysl Panuska can’t keep still. He’s hopping from one foot to the other and his eyes wear a permanent smile. Even the backdrop of hurtling bungee jumpers at the Olympic Park can’t distract him. This is finals day at the Munich World Cup and Panuska’s squad from the Czech Republic have bagged an impressive two golds and two silvers.

One of the gold medals belongs to Mirka Knapkova. Knapkova has just pulled off an astounding win in the women’s single and she looks a little shell-shocked. The unassuming, tall and tanned Knapkova rowing in lane five had a simple race plan ? to do her best. ?I didn’t know until the finish that I had won,? she says. ?It was a surprise for me.? In winning Knapkova had beaten the number one single sculler in the world, World Champion, Rumyana Neykova.

And she’s only 22 years old.

Knapkova’s rise to the top has come quickly. She began her international rowing career in 2001, only having been in the sport for about a year. In her first ever World Cup, Knapkova finished fifth and went on to the subsequent World Championships placing a credible tenth ahead of the likes of single sculling master, Maria Brandin of Sweden.

Before rowing took over, Knapkova’s sporting focus was athletics. The 1500 metre was her forte. Although Knapkova still does running races in the winter, rowing now dominates her life and with that domination comes two training sessions per day. In summer training revolves around on-the-water rowing and during winter oars are exchanged for ski poles with weights, ergometres and cross-country skiing taking over.

Mirka in action in the single.
© Getty Images

Knapkova, who trains in the Czech Republics capital city Prague, is the sole athlete of coach Tomas Kacovsky who was successful internationally in the lightweight single. She trains alongside local club rower, Jiri Mizera who paces her making every practice a mini competition. Panuska adds, ?over the short distance Jiri is faster, but over the longer distance Mirka can win.?

Rowing is in Knapkova’s blood. Her father competed in both the 1976 and 1980 Olympic Games and her mother was a national level rower.

Knapkova is currently a student at Prague’s Charles University studying physical education and sport. But her summer holidays are all about rowing. After Munich Knapkova went directly to the Holland Beker in the Netherlands and will then go on to Lucerne, Switzerland for the final World Cup before heading to St Moritz for altitude training in preparation for the World Championships in Milan.

After missing last year’s World Championships due to illness Knapkova is looking forward to competing in Milan in August, but she’s not assuming anything. She does not feel like she’s the best women’s single sculler in the world. ?I don’t believe that I am better then Neykova, (current World Champion). ?The next race will be very very tough and Neykova will be better,? says the Czech.