Alex, the Paralympic Games have finished, and you helped win gold and silver medals as a guide. How does that make you feel?
Wonderful. We went there hoping to win a medal, but the competition in the visually impaired category is fierce. We knew the races would be tough, but taking home a gold and a silver from three starts is an incredible result.
Carina: Well, it’s awesome – you train for four years for that one event. After a super rocky and bumpy road when I was banned from cross-country, I was pretty devastated. But I knew that with the right mindset, I could succeed.
How long was the wait for the medals?
We had to wait 16 years since Vancouver 2010, and this was our first gold since 2002. We’re glad that Carina became only our second Paralympic champion, breaking that dry spell.
You competed in biathlon yourself for about nine years. What brought you to becoming a guide for Para athletes? Because the Czech para biathlon team was only set up last summer…
About two years after I ended my biathlon career, I was asked to go to an international training camp to guide the up-and-coming Para biathlete Simona Bubeníčková, because her usual guide, David Šrůtek, and her coach were unable to attend. I was completely new to this and I was nervous; I didn’t know what to expect. As Simona is completely blind, she relies entirely on verbal instructions and following the sound, which is very demanding. After the camp, I was offered a position as shooting coach with the team. Later, when Carina became a Czech citizen, they needed to find a guide for her. There were several candidates, including former national team members, but in the end, they chose me. I had five months to get back in shape and prepare for the world events. And so in January, we competed in our first races.
Carina: Well, I am a proud Czech athlete now, a lot prouder than when I was representing my old country. With Alex we found an unbeatable connection where we focus on what we are, what we can do best, and the results show that.
You are studying to become a teacher – does that help with coaching?
In physical education, the roles of a teacher and a coach are very closely linked. A PE teacher is like a coach for everyone, while a professional coach works with a particular team. Thanks to my experience, I know how to work with athletes, particularly with regard to the mental side of things. Mental fortitude is crucial for visually impaired athletes because sports are more cognitively demanding for them and they become fatigued more quickly. It is important to carefully consider what to say and how to say it to prepare the athlete. It is similar to school, where everyone reacts differently.
How do you communicate with Carina during the race?
Carina is originally from Austria. She has Czech citizenship now, but her Czech is very basic – she’s still learning, so it’s challenging. As for myself, I could manage some simple instructions in German, but English works best for both of us and we’re used to it.
Do you use any devices to communicate?
We mostly yell at each other (laughs). Paradoxically, most coach-athlete pairs use a microphone and speaker system, with the guide riding ahead of the racer. We don’t need that because Carina can see about two meters ahead. All I have to do is indicate when we’re changing direction, approaching a hill or descent, or passing someone. And I also cheer her on a lot.
What is the hardest part of being a guide for you?
The responsibility you have for the athlete. I’m responsible for how they navigate the course, especially in the more technical sections and downhill stretches. The extreme conditions at this Paralympics didn’t help – it was very hot, nearly 12 degrees, and the course was in poor condition. There were deep ruts in the downhill sections that the athletes could not always anticipate, even when holding onto the guide’s pole. They can hold onto it, but the guide isn’t allowed to pull them, just like in skating. At most, they can push off together through the turns. Before each of the medal races we had a hard fall, so for the gold race we chose a different strategy: we went without holding on. That gave us more speed into the descents, which were short, steep, and very technical. It was riskier and required more concentration, but we managed, and on the finishing straight we already knew we were going for a medal.
Biathletes with disabilities shoot a laser rifle that guides them with an audio signal to a target that is only 21 mm in diameter. The tone starts low and increases as they approach the centre point. Did you try it yourself?
Yes, as a coach and a guide, I tried it to understand what the biathlete feels and, more importantly, how they shoot. At first, I couldn’t hit the target at all. I thought I could already hear the highest pitch, but I was off by about three centimetres. With more practice, I can now hit them all. But there is a huge difference between seeing the target with your own eyes and the competitors having to find it using only the sound.
Carina has a distinctive shooting style, using her middle finger instead of her index finger. Did you have time to go over her technique?
We worked on her technique over the summer as I am, after all, a shooting coach. Before the Paralympics, however, we agreed not to make any major changes and focused on the basics, such as breathing, her approach to the shooting range, and the timing between shots. But for sure, Carina has her own style and habits that she has developed over the years, so it is very difficult to retrain her.
Even so, she went on to win gold…
I knew she is a sprinter and that the Friday race would suit us best. The qualification went well – we built up a 30-second lead, which is a lot in a 12-minute race. But the race itself is fast-paced and the risk of shooting errors is high. So we chose a strategy of getting all the shots down as quickly as possible. Since Carina is incredibly fast, we knew that even if we had to do penalty loops, it wouldn’t be such a problem for us. After that, it was just about being careful, enjoying the second shoot, and bringing it home.
How do you get along with Carina on and off the course?
We really clicked. There’s a good rapport between us. After the interviews, we did a little dance on the winners’ podium, and then again with our medals around our necks. We joked around before, during, and after the race, it was really a lot of fun.
Carina: Oh, Alex is not just a guide, he is also a biathlon coach. But in Para sport you need to be a man who can do everything – be a bodyguard, tell me how much time is left to the start and carry my bag when I am not able to.
How did the Faculty react to your involvement in the Paralympics and your efforts to catch up on missed coursework?
An individual study plan was approved for me, so my absences weren’t really an issue. Before leaving, though, I went to see all my teachers to make sure they were OK with it and, fortunately, they were all very accommodating. This included assignments that I was allowed to complete after my return, so I didn’t have to write them in a rush between the races. Trying to focus on school assignments on top of all that would have been very difficult. After our success, everyone congratulated me – the Faculty management, teachers and my fellow students, which was very nice and satisfying.
You’re also active in the FUKS university club and serve as a student representative on the Academic Senate. How do you manage?
It takes time, but not too much. Meetings usually take place once a month. You have to prepare, but it’s manageable. At FUKS, we mainly organise events. I haven’t been as active this winter as I’ve had other priorities, but these extra activities have given me the chance to meet people and make friends, so it is free time well spent.
What are your plans for the future? Will you continue as a guide?
My main goal right now is to finish my Master’s degree. I’m also considering applying for a PhD. I want to focus on Para biathlon not only as a coach but also as a researcher. I think it is a great sport where the Czech Republic could make a lot of progress in the future, especially given its growing popularity and the quality of our infrastructure. I can’t say at the moment how long Carina or I will continue to compete, but for now, we’re focusing on our shared career. If everything goes well, I’d like to stay with the Para biathlon team and eventually find a position as a teacher.
Carina: Oh, thanks for that! Well, I promised Alex that if I won – which I did – I would call myself a biathlete from then on. I’d also like to make a comeback in cross-country skiing, but I’m trying to be great at both sports.