2024-08-04 11:39:48
There is no other way to describe what happened on Saturday at the Olympic Games in Paris, when the hearts of Lithuanians united and beat only for one person in the Vere-sur-Marne canal.
And that person is rower Viktorija Senkutė, who won Lithuania’s first Olympic medal in Paris.
What a moment it was, when with 500 meters to go, the 28-year-old athlete, where a few years ago she was simply pushed out of rowing, but returned in fourth place, began to sprint.
“Vika, Vika!” – rowers Kamilė Kralikaitė and Ieva Adomavičiūtė, who won fifth place in the Olympics, shouted loudly in the stands. Both of them know Victoria very well and have even rowed with her at one stage or another.
Olympic vice-champion Mindaugas Griškonis, president of the Lithuanian Rowing Federation, and Saulius Ritter, who won silver with him in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, also jumped from the spot.
Daina Gudzinevičiūtė, president of the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee (LTOC), was also beaming with emotions.
Lithuania’s name echoed very loudly at the Olympic Games! First medal!
But not a single smile, not a single shout of joy could match the way V. Senkutė herself shone.
What a moment. What emotions. So much work – and such a result. This was the last appearance of Lithuanian rowers at the Paris Games. One for all, all for one!
“I would like to dedicate the medal to my dad, who is an ex-rower and is in heaven.” To my mother, who follows and supports me a lot. To his boyfriend, without whom there would be no medal. To my friends, relatives and all of Lithuania and the Baltic countries. To everyone who supported me and followed my story, and most importantly, didn’t turn my back when I wasn’t doing well. There were those who turned away and now write to me and are happy. Well, now this medal is yours,” V. Senkutė smiled widely and gently placed her hand on the arm of her boyfriend, Olympic kayaker Simons Maldonis. An Olympic bronze medal was already hanging around her neck.
“Unbelievable. This is my first medal in an adult competition and it is an Olympic one,” laughed V. Senkutė.
Just a few moments ago, K. Kralikaitė, I. Adomavičiūtė, the already mentioned M. Griškonis or D. Gudzinevičiūtė also hugged her tightly.
And everything was crowned by the Olympic kiss with S. Maldonius.
The first Olympic bronze for Lithuania was indeed brought by an athlete who became the first Lithuanian rower in the A final in the entire history.
And in 2021, the Lithuanian Rowing Federation (LIF) authorities at that time showed the door to this athlete – her funding was terminated, and V. Senkutė was left to her fate.
“To watch yourself,” V. Senkutė sent this message to people who not only did not believe in her, but also took away the opportunity. – I watched myself. At that moment I was trying to prove something, I was overcome with anger and at that moment I realized that nothing can be achieved through anger. So I retired, took a break, found a new love for rowing, came back and did what I love, enjoyed it. On Friday, I wrote to Simon that after the last practice I was sad, that it was the last and how I wanted to keep rowing. But it is very important to rest and come back with new strength.”
This Olympic medal is like destiny. V. Senkutė tried a number of sports before rowing. And although her father was a rower, her mother initially did not want her daughter to choose this sport, because she considered it a bit masculine. This is where V. Senkutė’s character and the inevitable intertwining of her life with water, oars and boat became apparent.
And because of that, V. Senkutė has a message for all the girls who are attracted to rowing, but don’t dare: “I invited my friend, sister Greta, to rowing. We just had a good time. It’s summer, lake, friends. I met my best friends there. It is possible to go to study in the USA, as I did. I wish everyone to try and not turn away from sports if you like it. I started when I was 15-16, which reads quite late. But I was more mature and enjoyed it more.”
Saturday’s women’s singles rowing final was really crazy, especially for Lithuanians. V. Senkutė was fourth after 500 m, then dropped to fifth place, but all the Lithuanians gathered here knew that giving up was impossible, and the athlete would definitely go ahead, because there is simply no other option.
When he crossed the 1500 mark, V. Senkutė was already in 4th place. This is where the fight started, which forced the members of the rowing community in the stands and some other fans to stand up.
With 100 meters to go, it was not yet clear whether Lithuania would have a medal, but V. Senkutė answered this question very quickly with her character, talent and strong legs.
7 minutes 20.85 sec. – V. Senkutė, who debuted at the Olympic Games, won a bronze medal!
Gold went to 26-year-old Karolien Florijn, the Dutch vice-champion of the Tokyo Games (7 min. 17.28 sec.), while Tokyo Olympic champion Emma Twigg won silver (7 min. 19.14).
– Those last 500 meters were crazy. What was going on in your head and where did the strength come from?
– There was strength all the time. I had a clear plan. The coach said before the start that the medals will not be distributed in the first, but in the second kilometer. I knew I had to not give up, I had to keep going. I practiced this finish many times in Lithuania. Before leaving, I told Kamila (K. Kralikaitei, – ed.) that I would do the same finish as I do with them at home, when they press me and I run away.
Just managed to get it done.
– Which section was decisive – 100 meters or 50 meters?
– I didn’t look. I did my job. With 500 meters left, I looked to my left and saw the Australian athlete (Tara Rigney (7 min. 21.38)) that we were rowing similarly. I knew that if I completed my finish, which I do at home every day, training, I would be able to win a medal for Lithuania.
I saw LTU on the scoreboard and the rest is just history.
– You had titled rivals. Do you have a target that needs to be overcome faster?
– There were no targets, looking at female athletes as people. I thought about the fact that I have to get on the medal podium, that I have to do my job and that I have to do that job from start to finish, we will have a medal for Lithuania.
Here we have it.
I mentioned before that I don’t focus on other female athletes, but I have a lot of respect for them – they are amazing. Both are Olympic champions and it’s incredible. My biggest dream was to climb on the highest podium with such athletes.
This is my first medal at the adult level and it is an Olympic medal. Can it get any better than that?
– Before the awards, you spoke with K. Florijn, who became the Olympic champion. What were you talking about?
– We are just happy about the good competition, the upcoming vacation, we laughed about how good it is to be here, to fight with each other. It’s incredible because we bring out the best in each other. I was in the A final a few times, but I couldn’t row well because I didn’t have the confidence.
But before this competition, everything was arranged in my mind like this.
– Viktorija, recently in Lithuania, especially after the failure of the 5 vs. 5 national team, there is a lot of talk that maybe our sport is starting to lack the mentality of winners. Where did you get such a strong mentality?
– From Simon Maldonis (smiles while looking at her boyfriend, – ed.). We work every day, we talk every day, how to be a winner. You train in training. I don’t know about that mentality – I don’t look at basketball players or others. I come to training, I do my job. I practice in my head how I will think, what I will say to myself, in which part of the distance and how everything will be. This should be brought to the competition.
– You mentioned more than once that you were thinking about medals. You also had the odd story in your career where the rowing federation simply stopped funding. When did that turning point happen, when you realized that you would climb into the boat, become a medalist, and where did that strength come from?
– Confidence comes from preparation. If we had good training, it means that there will be a good competition. Before the European Championship, I couldn’t finish training because my body was weakened after the coronavirus. I couldn’t finish those trainings and I went to the European Championship, where I knew that if I stretched one start, I wouldn’t have enough strength for the next one.
I hadn’t rowed in Lucerne for two weeks. I had little time to prepare, but I made it to the A final, but inside I had the feeling that I wouldn’t make it no matter how hard I tried. The body was not ready.
But after Lucerne, when there was the last selection and I knew that I would represent Lithuania at the Olympics, the preparation block was so good, the training was amazing. I brought that confidence here from home and I was able to make it happen.
Unbelievable. I still don’t understand what’s going on.
2024-08-04 11:39:48