My dream is to compete at the Olympics, says Michal Zindulka, PF UK student and world champion in rowing

Michal is currently in his fourth year of studies in our Faculty. He has been rowing since he was a child and, after he turned 16, he became a regular member of the Czech representation team. His biggest successes came after he started studying law, once his schedule became more flexible, allowing him to increase his training time, even without an individual curriculum. In 2023, he qualified for the quad scull team. The next year, he and his team-mates won the silver medal at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships and just last year, the same team dominated the competition. On 4 February, Michal Zindulka will celebrate his 23rd birthday.

Michal first started rowing in the Blesk Club on Veslařský ostrov (“Rowers’ Island”) in Podolí in Prague. “What I’ve always liked about sports is the combination of hard work and fair play, which is characteristic for rowing – the results are directly proportional to the time and effort you put in the training. Even though talent and your physical predispositions also play an important role, diligence and consistency are often what ultimately decides who wins and who loses. Many times I have beaten opponents who were stronger or had a better technique, and that’s precisely what I find fascinating about rowing,” Michal says.

He has been a member of the Dukla Praha Army Sports Centre for four years now. Rowing taught him discipline, patience, and the ability to work towards his goals in the long term. “It has not been easy for me to combine law school and top-level sport, but it is exactly this combination that has taught me to become efficient, resilient, and persistent – qualities which I consider important for my future legal practice as well. The examination periods are particularly demanding and stressful but this also allows me to appreciate more the moments when I know I have completed all my study obligations and I can then put all my focus into training and get the most out of it,” Michal describes.
In 2023, he qualified for the under-23 quadruple sculls (M4x), which had been his long-term goal. That year, his team finished eighth at the world championships. This experience showed them how much work, but also details, decide success at the top level. “Our crew then agreed that we would really need to step it up if we wanted  better results – and that’s exactly what we did,” Michal recalls. In 2024, they won the silver medal at the World Under 23 Championships with an almost identical team, which was a huge boost for them into the next year. Last year, the same team won the gold medals.

Michal considers this success as his sports and personal milestone. “For me, it’s proof that hard work brings its fruits. I’m now focusing on transitioning into the senior category and preparing to represent at the highest level – our next goal is to compete at the Olympic Games,”

Michal describes his plans. He considers rowing to be a difficult but exceptionally beautiful sport. It does not allow any shortcuts, but it does reward anyone who gives it their all.

We hope that his transition to the new category will be as smooth as possible and we will keep our fingers crossed for him in Los Angeles in two years!
 
Author: Michal Zindulka
Edited by: Markéta Černá
Photo: Michal Zindulka’s archive