If you didn’t know about her origins, you wouldn’t think that Daryna Nabojchenko is from somewhere else. He speaks Czech perfectly, with a clear and soft pronunciation.
But when you came to the Czech Republic with your parents at eleven, you didn’t speak a word.
It wasn’t easy, luckily I didn’t notice any major problems in the pool. I started going to training sessions and I fit into the swimming group quite quickly. At that age there is no rivalry yet, no one saw me as a competitor. It was worse at school.
Children can be very cruel at times. Especially when it comes to a foreigner who understands almost nothing. I heard taunts behind me and didn’t know how to react. I tried to communicate, but when you can only combine Russian, Czech and English words, it’s difficult. Fortunately, I made friends with a classmate fairly early on, and then everything was easier. And you know what is the most interesting thing?
That the girls who made fun of me the most became my best friends in a few years.
Do you really dream in Czech after twelve years?
For about two years now. My coach Jan Kreník has a hand in it. As soon as I joined his training group, he tried hard to make me Czech.
For example, he insisted that I have the entire navigation on my mobile phone in Czech. He wanted me to watch Czech films and read Czech books. He didn’t do very well with the reading, but I can really speak Czech.
Is there something Ukrainian left in you?
Yes, I like our language very much, we speak Ukrainian at home. Ukrainian films and music are part of my nature. But otherwise? The life of my entire family is already connected with the Czech Republic. Grandma and grandpa already live there.
But don’t you think that Czech support for Ukraine has been weakening lately? They removed the Ukrainian flag from the House of Representatives, and it no longer hangs at the National Museum. Does it affect you?
I try not to pay too much attention to politics, it’s stressful. At the same time, I don’t like to comment on her publicly, sorry.
I understand, but I still have to ask: are you relieved that the Russian swimmers are not at the European Championships? Host Poland refused to issue them visas.
I would also prefer to leave this topic without comment. I don’t want to offend anyone and cause conflicts. I’ll just say that a person’s character and opinions are much more important to me than their nationality. I have enough acquaintances from Russia, with whom I am friends exactly as I was a few years ago.
Who is Daryna Nabojchenko | NW
- She was born on June 26, 2002 in Kyiv.
- She moved to the Czech Republic with her parents at the age of eleven. She received her citizenship as an athlete in an accelerated process in 2018.
- National record holder in the 50 meter butterfly. However, her time at the European Championships in Lublin on Tuesday (25.85) was more than half a second slower than the record she set a month ago.
- He lives and trains in Ústí nad Labem.
I have to say that you seem a little shy, but you often turn into a dragon in the pool. Or maybe more like a butterfly, which is your favorite swimming style.
I am certainly more experienced and more determined than two years ago, when I made my debut in the Czech national team at the European Championship. I didn’t know what to expect from myself at all. Today I am clear that I can make it far.
At the championships, you failed in the 50-meter butterfly heat, while you recently improved the national record again and are approaching the magical 25-second mark. Do you have room for improvement?
I believe in it. I’m a perfectionist: I always seem to make a lot of mistakes. I know I don’t have good starts. There are also occasional problems with turns. In short, I am still waiting for my ideal race.
Also because you experienced a swimming crisis years ago?
That was for covid. I couldn’t go out and my parents forbade me from training. I just sat at home all day. Depression crept up on me, it was killing. When I returned to the pool, I found that I did not feel like swimming. Even school stopped being fun for me.
When coach Kreník noticed me. My previous coach was not bad, he just focused more on younger athletes. I was already eighteen and felt that his contribution was diminishing. I stagnated and lost interest in sports. Coach Kreník actually saved me for swimming.
Rumor has it that he has a rougher style and can lash out at his charges.
It scared me because I wasn’t used to this kind of treatment, but in the end it turned out that it wasn’t so bad. Honza can raise his voice and be more emphatic, but he does not deviate from the norm. On the contrary, I am grateful to him for teaching me discipline. At the same time, he can divide work and rest. In the pool, there are purely professional relationships, but for example, at the races, he will join us for dinner or for a walk. After the end of the season, feel free to have a beer.
National team coach Petra Škábová told me that a coach cannot be friends with his charges.
Some people need strictness, others want more freedom. The human side is very important to me. I consider it important to be surrounded by like-minded people. Not only in terms of training, but also outside of sports. I can ask Honza for advice or come to him just for support. It is much more important than having a dictator in the coach who just squeezes good results.
International groups are in vogue. Miroslav Knedla is preparing overseas, Barbora Seemanová with Jan Čejka with the Canadian Rushton. Would that appeal to you?
I thought about it a few years ago when I was looking for a new impulse. One of the alternatives was to study in America, but in the end I rejected it. I need an individual approach and maximum attention from a trainer, which would not be possible in the States. Today I don’t see any point in it anymore.
