The actual Olympic countdown for the Games in Paris began for two-time Olympic champion Lukas KRPALEK with the two-week Japan training programme in Tokyo. Until mid-February, the 33-year-old’s diary was still full of marketing and PR appointments. A weekend tournament organised by his own junior academy, a video shoot for the Czech Olympic Committee and an IOC visit with a selected EJU athlete delegation in Lausanne, to name just a few examples. “From now on, my entire focus will be on judo and my preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris,” emphasises Lukas Krpalek. The Czech found time for an EJU interview before his departure for Tokyo.
How many times will you compete before the Olympic Games in Paris?
Lukas Krpalek: “It won’t be too many tournaments. My season debut is set to take place at the Upper Austria Grand Prix in Linz (AUT) on 10 March, as it’s close to Prague. I’m also supposed to compete at the Grand Slam in Antalya (TUR, 29 – 31 March). Of the two season highlights until the end of the Olympic qualification mid of June, the European Championships in Zagreb and the World Championships in Abu Dhabi, I will probably compete in only one of the two. Which one makes more sense will be decided at short notice and will depend on my shape. Of course I would like to come to Zagreb. But the main focuss for me this year needs to be getting in shape for day X at the Olympics. The rest falls under preparation for the Games!”
You are still changing between the categories (-100/+100). In Rio you won gold – 100 kg, in Tokyo five years later you switched to the heavyweight category. When will the decision be made as to which category you will compete in France?
Krpalek: “The decision has to be made after the training camp in Japan, in any case before Linz. The actual plan would be to make weight and compete up to 100kg. But we’ll see in the next few days and weeks whether that actually works out. At my age, you have to listen to your body and manage your strength.”
What chances do you give yourself for Paris 2024?
Krpalek: “I will try my best in order to be successful for a third time, especially as my wife and children will come with me to Paris. But I will be one of the oldest judoka in the starting field. It will be tougher for me than three and eight years ago, that goes without saying. But that’s also what makes it kind of exciting. I love to challenge myself!”
Author: EJU Media