site.btaCanoe-kayak World Champion Ioana Georgieva in BTA Interview

Earlier in the year, Ioana Georgieva won the title in the 200m single-person kayak for girls under 23 at the Canoe-Kayak World Championships in Aurondzo (Italy) and the silver medal in the discipline of 500m single seater kayak. Thus, Georgieva qualified for the 2024. Paris Olympic Summer Games Recently, she also received the Sports Icarus award for a breakthrough in world sports.

In an interview with BTA, Georgieva talked more about her first steps in the sport and the feeling of achieving the dream of every athlete to compete in the Olympic Games.

Georgieva first decided to pursue the sport seriously in 2017. She participated in the Olympic Hopes regatta  in 1000m and managed to qualify for the final.

Her placement in the B finals of the 500m and 200m at the 2018 European Championships disappointed her but also motivated her to improve. 

"I've missed almost all my birthdays because of training, prom too," Georgieva said. She talked about the positive emotions of competing and the indescribable feeling of hearing the national anthem.

"It has always been important for me, besides being a good athlete, to be an educated and intelligent person," Georgieva added. So she decided to enroll as a physical education and sports teacher. 

Georgieva shared that she loves her hometown Vidin and Bulgaria very much. "Together with my coach we proved that we are competitive even under the  conditions that are available here in the city," Georgieva explained.