2017 Sports Junior of the Year Barbora Dimovova aims for Senior success
Photo Credit: World Paddle Awards | Jens Thybo | Silkeborg
BARBORA DIMOVOVA (Czech Republic) - Winner of the 2017 Junior of the Year Award
Born: 2000, Represents: Czech Republic, Discipline: Wildwater K1W
Major Results 2017:
- Junior World Champion Women's K1 Sprint 2017
- Junior World Champion Women's K1 Classic Team
- 2nd in the Junior World Champion Women's K1 Classic
- 2nd in the Junior World Champion Women's K1 Sprint Team
- 4th Senior World Championships Women’s K1 Sprint 2017
- 12th in the ICF world ranking (senior) Women’s K1 2017
- 4th in the ICF World Cup ranking (senior) Women's K1 2017
Throughout the 2017 season Barbora Dimovova cemented herself as one of the best Wildwater athletes and most promising up and comers in the world. After claiming four medals at the Wildwater World Championships in Murau, the seventeen year old then went on to debut at the Senior World Championships in Pau where she finished 4th, just 0.05 seconds off a bronze medal.
As a result of her dominant performances, Barbora was crowned the Sports Junior of the Year at the World Paddle Awards overnight where she humbly accepted the award. In previous editions of the World Paddle Awards (2014-2016) there have been several nominees from the Czech Republic but she is the first Czech finalist to win an award.
“I definitely want say thanks to all my coaches. My fitness trainer Kuba Fryč, national trainer Robert Knebel and to my best coach and dad ever Keno Dimov, who does the best preparation for big races. A very big thanks also to my family, friends and everyone else for their support,” she said.
Winning four World Championship medals in one competition is no mean feat, but when asked what her secret to success is, Barbora was very modest with her reply.
“I am much better, than I was a year ago and I really appreciate these successes. My first big result was a 4th place at the seniors world cup in Muota, then I became a World Champion in juniors and few weeks after that, I was fourth at the Seniors Championship. My secret is to keep calm and breathe well, but I concentrate for the race only about a few seconds before the start.
When speaking about her fourth place at the Senior World Championships, Barbora couldn’t contain her excitement.
“It was absolutely great feeling! My goal was to get through to the final, and then I was fourth! That was amazing.”
In an adrenaline driven discipline with many unexpected twists and turns, Barbora has set some big goals for herself after a breakthrough season.
“I want to win Juniors European Championship in classic and in sprint. I also want to get a medal in seniors.”
With a resume full of results already and skill well beyond her years, expect to see Barbora’s name begin to regularly feature at a senior level on the international stage.
Read Barbora's full profile here