Skip to main content
17808
Go to International Paralympic Committee homepage Official website of the Paralympic Movement
Contrast:
High Contrast
Normal Contrast
Enlargement:
Larger Font Size
Default Font Size
Smaller Font Size
    • Home
    • Paralympic Games
    • Events & Competitions
    • The IPC
    • Results, Rankings & Records
    • Media centre
    • Sports
    • Classification
    • Videos
    • Athletes
    • Fan Zone
    • NPCs
    • Agitos Foundation
    • Partnerships
    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
    • Instagram

    Media Centre

    • News
    • Blogs
    • Newsletter
    • Magazine
    • Athlete of Month
    • Media Office
    • Ones to Watch
    • Campaigns
    • Top 10 Moments

    Henrieta Farkasova targets five golds in Sochi

    06.11.2013

    Returning from a broken wrist and ribs sustained at the 2013 World Championships, Slovakian skier Henrieta Farkasova aims to sweep the board in March.

    Henrieta Farkasova competing in Vancouver Henrieta Farkasova (AUT) also finished first in the women's giant slalom visually impiared category in Thredbo. © • Getty Images
    By Jake Duhaime
    Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker
    Related Videos
    Slovakia's rise in Paralympic winter sport explained by Henrieta Farkasova and her guide
    Related News
    Hall, Murphy to lead New Zealand’s Sochi 2014 team
    Sochi 2014 Paralympics scheduled released
    Alpine skiers to watch at Sochi 2014 unveiled
    Related Features
    If you can race here, you can race in Sochi
    Sochi 2014: How to ski at 100km per hour without sight
    Related Blogs
    Markus Salcher: From a child to a Paralympic star

    “I always compare myself with them and I try and beat them. Although we are good friends, there is a high level of competitiveness that pushes us and drives us to be the best even within the team."

    The dream is clear for defending world champion and Sochi 2014 One to Watch Henrieta Farkasova.

    The 27 year-old Slovakian plans to ski in five events at the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi. Her objective is to return home with five gold medals in visually impaired events.

    Standing in her way is Russian skier and fellow 2013 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championship gold medallist Alexandra Frantseva, who will hold home snow advantage in March 2014.

    Only time will tell if experience trumps familiarity.

    “This time around, I actually know what to expect,” said Farkasova of her Paralympic experience. “I think I can prepare myself better psychologically and I also know what kind of pressure I’m under.”

    There’s irony in that statement, because the last time around Farkasova dominated the slopes in Vancouver in 2010. She won four medals, three of which were gold and finished fifth in the only event she didn’t reach the podium.

    Still, in her eyes, there is room for improvement.

    “All eyes are on those five events which I’ll be competing in,” said Farkasova. “There’s only one goal this season and that’s it.”

    As the 2013-14 season gets underway, eyes were focused on Farkasova for different reasons.

    She left the IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in La Molina with two gold medals, a broken wrist and fractured ribs. Those injuries prevented her from taking part in the World Cup circuit finale, which also served as Sochi Test Event, on what will be the Paralympic course.

    It also created a change in Farkasova’s summer training schedule. She spent more time off the snow, with an increased emphasis on endurance and technique.

    “We focused our off-season preparation on fitness training,” Farkasova said. “After the season we took some time to relax and recover. After that I started training with my new physio-coach and fellow teammate Petra Smaržová.”

    “From the technical point of view the training processes have improved drastically,” said Farkasova's guide Nataly Subrtova. “We also realize that the competition is getting stronger and tougher to beat which makes us work and train even harder.”

    Slovakia’s ski program is unique in the fact that many of its training sessions are co-educational. While on-snow, Farkasova can be found training amongst some of the fastest men in the world, including comrade Martin France. She uses the guys as a measuring stick, even a secret weapon for her competitive fire.

    “I always compare myself with them and I try and beat them. Although we are good friends, there is a high level of competitiveness that pushes us and drives us to be the best even within the team. That way we can improve and no one wants to be the worst.”

    That drive helped Slovakia (eight gold, two silver, three bronze) find success in the first IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup event of the season in September in Australia. This included a golden performance from Farkasova, on-snow in a competitive event for the first time since her injury in La Molina.

    “Overall we are very happy about how we started the new season. Australia was a great experience and we did some good training there. “

    This training should continue into the 2013-14 IPC Alpine Skiing European Cup and 2013-14 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup including the finals in Tarvisio just weeks before Sochi, all of which leads up to that ultimate goal in Russia.

    “Now we will just try to keep the momentum going, but mostly it is all going to be about training, training and training until Sochi comes.”

    • Tweet
      • print
      • send
    LATEST NEWS
    Nadezhda Fedorova suspended for anti-doping violation 05.08.2019 Nadezhda Fedorova suspended for anti-doping violation
    Nottwil 2019: USA top table as Junior Worlds conclude 05.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: USA top table as Junior Worlds conclude
    Nottwil 2019: Breathless third day 04.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: Breathless third day
    Nottwil 2019: Noah Malone makes his way 03.08.2019 Nottwil 2019: Noah Malone makes his way
    Vote for July’s Athlete of the Month 02.08.2019 Vote for July’s Athlete of the Month
    More news...following the link
    Worldwide Paralympic Partners
    Go to Atos partner page
    Go to Bridgestone partner page
    Go to OttoBock partner page
    Go to Panasonic partner page
    Go to Samsung partner page
    Go to Toyota partner page
    Go to Visa partner page
    International Partners
    Go to Allianz partner page
    Go to BP partner page
    Go to Citi partner page
    • FAQ
    • Privacy
    • Imprint
    • Jobs
    Powered by Go to Atos. Worldwide IPC partner page
    The Paralympic Games
    Summer Games
    Winter Games
    Sochi 2014
    Rio 2016
    All the results & medallist since 1960
    Games video archive
    About the IPC
    Who we are
    Anti-Doping
    Medical
    Partners
    IPC Strategic Plan 2015-2018
    IPC Handbook
    Publications and Documents
    Media Centre
    News
    Features & Interviews
    The Paralympian
    Videos
    Athlete of the Month
    Media Office
    Sports
    Summer Sports
    Winter Sports
    Biographies
    NPCS
    Africa
    America
    Asia
    Europe
    Oceania
    Go to International Paralympic Committee homepage
    Official Website of the Paralympic Movement • IPC
    Homepage
    Paralympic Games
    The IPC
    Results, Ranking & Records
    Media Centre
    Videos
    Sports
    International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
    Adenauerallee 212-214, 53113 Bonn, Germany
    Telephone: +49-228-2097-200 • Fax: +49-228-2097-209 • E-mail: info@paralympic.org
    08:25:34