2018 Danuta Kozak - Hungary
Danuta Kozak (Hungary) – Nominee for 2018 Sportswoman of the year award
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KozakDanuta
Born: 1987, Represents: Hungary, Sport: Canoe Sprint (K1W, K2W, K4W)
Major Results:
- 2018: World Champion K1W 500m, K2W 500m, K4W 500m
- 2016: Olympic Champion K1W 500m, K2W 500m, K4W 500m
As one of the most decorated canoe-sprint athletes of all time, Danuta Kozak has yet again proven her dominance by taking out the 500m trifecta at this year’s Canoe Sprint World Championships. After taking a year away from the sport to give birth to her first child, Kozak made a triumphant return to top level international racing in some of the tightest races seen throughout the championship.
In 2016 Danuta Kozak etched her name in the history books by becoming the first female Canoe Sprint athlete to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games when she triumphed in the K1, K2 and K4 500m, taking her overall Olympic gold medal tally to five. Winning three gold medals at one championship like this is a feat that seems almost impossible to achieve, let alone repeat. But never say never to Danuta Kozak.
Fast forward two years, and with a baby in tow, Kozak’s return to international competition was awe inspiring. With the New Zealand team, spearheaded by Lisa Carrington, dominating the scene throughout 2017, it was their matchups in particular that made for a week full of thrilling races.
In the K1 500m, the Hungarian fought hard right through to the end to overpower Carrington and reigning world champion Volha Khudzenka of Belarus to win in a time of 1:47.25, 0.73 seconds ahead of second place. Then, a mere one hour later, the pair went head to head again in the K2 500m with their respective partners, Anna Karasz and Caitlin Ryan. In what was almost a carbon copy race of the K1 event, the crews battled it out right until the end, with a photo finish declaring the Hungarians the new World Champions by just 0.02 seconds.
And if these two races didn’t seem tight enough, the K4 500m was yet another nail biter. With the New Zeeland crew again having a strong start, the Hungarians fought hard through the middle of the race, pulling up to their opponents in the last 150m. Clear of the rest of the field, the crews tussled right to the end with Kozak and her teammates Anna Karasz, Erika Medveczk and Dora Bodonyi winning by 0.010 seconds, in one of the closest finishes of the regatta.
Danuta Kozak’s powerful style and renowned finishes have seen her dominate the Canoe Sprint discipline over the last 12 years, and this year’s championships was no different. At 31 years old, and with 17 world championship medals (14 gold) and six Olympic medals (five gold) to her name, she will be a force to be reckoned with leading into the Tokyo Olympic Games.
*For her outstanding achievements at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Danuta Kozak won the award for the Best Female Canoe Sprint athlete in an Olympic year at the 2017 World Paddle Awards.
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