The mountains, motivation and Olympic ambition

The 2011 World Rowing Junior Championships will see them racing internationally together for the first time, and the girls are off to a good start, as they qualified  directly for the semifinals on Saturday.

World Rowing: Why do you row?
DS: You cannot say it was a deliberate choice at the start.  At the age of 15, I was already skiing and swimming competitively.  I wanted to quit swimming and my mother wanted me to start another sport.  My sister broke her leg and had to row for recovery.  I tried and wanted to row just for fun but the coach got me a competition license.  The first erg test went well and it just all naturally got rolling, I trained more and more and here I am.  As I live near to Evian and the mountains are close, I still ski but only for fun.

WR: What is your goal in rowing?
DS: The Olympic Games in Rio!

WR: When are you most relaxed?
DS: During competition time, in transport going to the rowing course before the race.  I listen to music, put myself in racing condition and feel completely relaxed.  Outside competition, it’s when I go back to the mountains, I breathe fresh air and revitalize.

WR: What is your least favourite training session
DS: I don’t have one; all training sessions are hard but there are none I really dislike.

WR: What do you study?
DS: I’m actually one year ahead and finished my first year of DUT (Diplôme Universitaire Technique) in biology.

WR: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
DS: I hope I’ll still be on the international rowing circuit at that time.  I’ll be 28, at my prime.

WR: What was your toughest race?
DS: The A final at the Junior World Championships last year.  It was also the greatest race ever because we were really focused both physically as mentally.  It was hard at the start but after 500m we found ourselves leading the field; we then disconnected our brain and gave everything we had to keep in front.

WR: What motivates you?
DS: The desire to go beyond my limits, see whether I can push them a little bit further.  During training,the final objective

motivates me and during a race it’s a little bit like everyone I guess: you go to achieve the best possible place, get the best out of yourself.  If something goes wrong, I try to fix it for the next time.  I always look for something new to go further, faster; it does not always work out but I try.

WR: What is your favourite book?
DS: I don’t really have time to read.  I train like a junior but live like a senior; I have my own student flat, study, do the laundry…