Nika Vos from Waalwijk enjoyed hockey in her youth, but after her choice to study rights, she exchanged the hockey stick for a place in the boat. Successfully, because the 26-year-old Roeister is now one of the world top. From Thursday she will go hunting for two medals at the European Championship in the Bulgarian Plovdiv. “The will to win is addictive,” she says.
In her career so far, Nika grabbed silver on the World Cup and twice a silver and once a bronze slice on the European Championship. As a child she never dared to dream of a successful career as a top athlete. “I was on hockey, that was my hobby. My first time in a rowing boat was after my move, in 2015, to Amsterdam. I was quite a reasonable talent, but it is a sport that you have to build on.”
Over the years, there were great moments for Nika, but also difficult periods. Like last summer for example. “I really wanted to go to the Paris Olympic Games. Unfortunately I just didn’t make it, it took some time to get over it.”
In her head the button went when she thought of 2028, when the Games in Los Angeles are held. “Another four -year cycle is how we as rowers think a bit. I still like rowing and I have the drive to get better than I was.”
Yet rowing is really not always fun. Nika does not call herself a ‘training person’. “I love the competitions and the tension, that’s what I do it for. He wants to go for the fastest time, that is addictive. Although you lose much more often than you win.”
Read also
During the European Championship from Thursday in Bulgaria she is in two boats: the women eight and the four without, a boat in which all four rowers have one belt. “Both boats have its charm. In the four your own share is larger, in the eight it is challenging because the boat is so large. I can at least combine it well, the finals are on different days. And if I am on the European Championship, then preferably a full planning.”
“There was not much time to get used to each other.”
The preparation was different from previous years. “It is the first international competition of the season, always exciting to see how you came out of the winter. With the current composition of the boats we only train four weeks, so there was not much time to get used to each other. Is it going to fall well or is it going to be difficult? In the end, does everyone focus on the boat.”
TeamNL has been performing great for years on the large rowing tournaments. Nika hopes to be able to put two medals in her prize cabinet after returning to the Netherlands. “I have a good feeling about the training sessions. A podium place is realistic and preferably as high as possible. Although that depends on the opponents.”
A difference with in recent years is that Nika is no longer just focusing on rowing. “My studies were on a break, but I am now working on my Master. It is quite a challenge to be able to combine it, but a nice challenge. ”
On Thursday 29 May the European Championship will be kicked off with the heats, the A and B-Finales will take place on Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June. There are more Brabant rowers who participate in the European Championship. Vera Sneijders from Gerwen is in the boat of the women two without and the women considers. Sander de Graaf from Made participates in the men four without.