Michal Plocek (CZE)

Rising Star – October 2016

Michal Plocek has been part of a group of rising stars in the men’s single sculls. At the 2016 World Rowing Under 23 Championships they met in the final. Plocek, who had spent the season trying to qualify for the Rio Olympics in the men’s double sculls, came back into the single to finish with bronze behind Tim Ole Naske (Germany) and Poland’s Natan Wegrzycki-Szymczyk. Plocek started rowing as a ten-year-old when he was spotted playing ice hockey and has now notched up World Championship titles at the junior and under-23 level.

Rowing is the sport that suits me best, because … it is a sport where I can move my limits on new level.

I like the single sculls because … it is my own world where I can do what I want and success is only my success.

One of the significant moments for me in rowing was … when I raced and won for my mom, who passed away.

A favourite saying of my coach is … a quote from the movie ‘Pulp Fiction’ when we end training and go home:  “And when you’re gone, you stay gone, or you be gone.”

My least favourite training session is … winter because I hate ergs.

My favourite training session is … summer

On the erg, my best score is … my time on 2km is 6:07, on 6km my best time is 18:52 and one time I rowed for three hours on erg. I reached 46km and it was very painful.

Outside of rowing I … like walking in nature and thinking, but when I’m tired I want only lie in bed and do nothing.

I am motivated by … my coach. He is the first Czech World Champion in the single scull and he learned a lot himself when he watched videos from the ‘90’s best rowers.

A typical day … I get up at 6 o’clock and from 8 to 11 is my first training. Lunch at 12 o’clock. Little sleep after lunch or I do something for school. From two until four, is my second training. I relax or do something for school in the evening again and after ten o’clock I go to bed.

My non-rowing friends think that rowing is … a boring sport but they like it when I have medal.

One thing that not many people know about me is … my favourite fantasy character is mermaid.

If I could change one thing about the world it would be … if I could I would want to change the length of a day. More hours for more training.

In ten years’ time I … will have my own family with a beautiful wife and kids and an Olympic gold on my personal wall of fame. 🙂

Addendum Michal Plocek:
http://www.worldrowing.com/news/the-talented-michal-plocek