Athletes in Poznan: Adam Korol

Poland’s Adam Korol makes no qualms about the pressure he feels racing in front of his home crowd at the 2009 World Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland. Despite being a three-time World Champion and reigning Olympic Champion, Korol knows his race in today’s men’s quad semifinal will be tough. His quad has been beaten just once this season, by Croatia and the two crews will meet again today. World Rowing talked to Korol before the semifinal.

World Rowing: How do you feel about these championships?
Adam Korol: I feel very good, but it seems that all the crews in the men’s quad seem to be at the same level.  We raced well at the Rowing World Cups, only the Croatians beat us in Munich. It’s a young crew and I think they will win titles in the future.

WR: You are the reigning World Champions since 2005 and Olympic Champions, how does it feel to defend your title in front of the home crowd?
AK: It is very stressful and difficult.  I can feel the additional pressure.  We have rowed in the same combination since 2005, so it’s the same for all my teammates.

WR: How did you prepare?
AK: We did several camps to prepare.  We always do camps for a few months before the championships because in the winter we train in our home places.  We all come from different places which doesn’t make it simple.  We were on a rowing camp in Portugal as part of our training and you can see a little film of a session on YouTube. Just before coming here we were in Wa?cz, Poland, where we always prepare for Olympic Games or World Championships, you could call it our “headquarters”.  

WR: What are your long-term plans?
AK: I don’t know. I’ll wait for the results here because these world championships are very important for me and my crew.
What I know is that when I will stop rowing, I will work in the Academy of Physical Education to prepare students to be trainers and coaches – I actually already do this job in winter and will resume this career immediately after the championships – and become a coach in my club.

WR: You participated in your first World Rowing Junior Championships in 1992, you are a 4 times Olympian, 12 years at the top, that’s tough!
AK: My family is a big support to be able to cope with the training and competitions.  I’ve been married 11 years and have two children, a daughter who turned 10 on the 22nd of August and a son who is 5.  Only me, the father is rowing for the moment. My family will come to watch the A-final but I won’t see them before the race.  As I said, this race brings a lot of stress for me and I only want to think about my racing, not my family at that time.  I will be very happy to see them after the race.