Olympic Medalist: Denis Myšák

At 24, Denis Myšák has already achieved a career-high as a sprint canoeist: representing his motherland, Slovakia, to the Olympics and bringing home a silver medal in 2016 (Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

Denis started his liking to canoeing at a very young age of seven. “My grandmother brought me to this sport, who met the coach and told me to give it a try. I really liked it. I started going to training [sic], I found friends there, so I stayed with it,” he said in an interview with a local paper MY Horna Nitra.

The pandemic didn’t stop Denis from furthering his career; he continued training and gave quality performances in two competitions in July, where he won.

“It was an honor for me, and I would be very pleased if it inspired and motivated some students to play sports. It was also a kind of satisfaction and confirmation that I did something,” Denis said.

He is set to compete in a national championship in Bratislava by the end of August. This 24-year-old Olympian has a future ahead of him, and his determination and passion for speed canoeing are commendable.

You can follow Denis’ career milestones on Instagram, @denismyzak.