“I’m only halfway of my dream”
Birth:
08/06/1999 Berlin (Germany)
Results:
2019:
World Champion K2 1000m
European Games Champion K2 1000m
2018:
World Champion K4 1000m
2017:
Junior World Champion K1 1000m
Junior World Champion K4 500m
2016:
Junior World Champion K1 1000m
2015:
4th place Junior world championship K4 1000m
Kayak idol?
Guys like Adam van Koeverden, Kenny Wallace and of course my dad Max Hoff- guys with charisma and a dual carrier
Favorite distance and training?
Favorite distance:
500m and 1000m
Favorite Training:
K2 sessions with Max (intervals)
K1 4-6x 500m GA2 intensive
Favorite paddle and boat?
Favorite boat:
K1 Nelo cinco
K2 and K4 FES
Favorite Paddle:
FES Rotor XL (similar like Bracsa 5)
Motivation song?
4AM (Scooter)
Any advice for beginners?
Fun is the most important thing
Apart from physical training, do you have mental training scheduled in your routine?
No. I have never done professional mental training. I communicate a lot with friends, coaches and family, that helps me.
Last summer you beat your team mate Tom Liebscher a few days after he broke the world record in K1 500m. What were your feelings about it?
My feelings…? I was happy like everyone, who won a race. More important is that this shows me and maybe some others, that this sport offers much great athletes.
How do you manage to keep calm before and during a competition?
I listen to a lot of music, talk to friends and do some funny things. I’m not very serious until shortly before the start. I am very concentrated just before the race begins. Otherwise the whole competition would be too exhausting and too little fun for me.
How do you switch off from your routine?
Music, Friends, Family…
What is a normal day like as a professional paddler?
Getting up early following my strict sports schedule, studying in my break, train again.
Now that you are a world champion, is it what you expected when you were a child and decided to go for it?
Maybe it is the halftime. Becoming world champion was never my dream as a child. The Olympic Games are the dream.
Is being a world champion a pressure to deal with or an extra motivation?
Motivation! I’m only halfway of my dream.
Is it important for you to train with a group or do you prefer training alone?
It all depends on the task and the period of preparation, basically our trainings take place in a group, because as you know, the result is born in rivalry!
Your country is known to have a very consistent team including men and women. How do you see the future of the young Belarusian athletes?
We have really stable team, l’m very proud of that! As for the young, they train with the main athletes, they complete with dignity and l’m sure that they will be no worse than us in the future, I believe in it!
Have you got some other job apart from being a professional athlete?
No, my main job is professional sports! Even with a strong desire I couldn’t combine!
What was the best competition of all your career?
There are many such competitions! Definitely, these are the competitions in which my team boat or myself show the best results!
From your point of view, what are the most strong competitors to beat in Tokyo 2021?
You know, there will no weak in principle, I’m sure that everyone who won the right to participate in the Olympic Games will come there only to win! And an athlete who will not only be strong physically but also psychologically will win!