It was not clear for a long time that Lobnig would travel confidently to the first World Cup. In mid-September, the 31-year-old tore a ligament and tendon sheath in her right foot while mountain biking and underwent surgery. The Carinthian woman then had to wear a cast for several weeks. In general, it was a difficult winter: “I think I had the corona virus three times. I was negative twice, but the symptoms were the same when I officially had it. I also had to fight my way back from my injury.”
Lobnig didn’t give up, completed countless hours of physiotherapy and continued to train diligently. At the World Cup in Belgrade, the first big test of form of the season is due. “It’s still very early in the season and the main goals aren’t until mid-September with the World Cup and in August with the European Championship. That’s why you have to build up the form carefully and make sure you’re not going too fast too soon. Nevertheless, of course I try to travel to the World Cup in reasonably good shape.”
Of course, the focus is on the World Championships in Racice in the Czech Republic in mid-September. “We will prepare accordingly for the European Championships in Munich, which will probably be the dress rehearsal for the World Cup,” said Lobnig. In general, it also depends on which competitors will be at the start: “I am very curious to see how the field will look this year, because following the Olympic Games there is always a big change in the boat classes and in the line-ups. Let’s see if there are new players and which of the old ones are still there.”
Lobnig is aiming for a World Cup and European Championship medal
After the World Cup in Belgrade, Lobnig will row the Henley Royal Regatta, a traditional rowing event that takes place every year in England on the Thames. “It will be my first time in Henley and I’m really looking forward to it, so I’m skipping the second World Cup in Poznan.” The Carinthian will be back at the World Cup finals in Lucerne. Whether she will row another regatta is not yet certain.
In addition, the European and World Championships are firmly in the 31-year-old’s schedule: “My goal is to be able to row for medals at the World and European Championships. I’ve already won bronze twice at the World Championships, so I want to win silver or gold this year. That’s my personal goal, but of course you try to keep the ball low,” said Lobnig.
Foot injury affects Lobnig
Although her foot injury has almost healed from a medical point of view, it still affects her in her daily training. “It’s just uncomfortable because I feel my foot every day. He’s stiff in the morning, that’s something that’s annoying. The foot just isn’t as free as it used to be.”
For example, running is still far too strenuous for your feet. Her training consists mainly of rowing, cycling and strength training anyway, “but even then I have to mobilize my foot before each workout and see that I can free the joint. Fortunately, the injury doesn’t bother me as much when rowing, except that it’s harder for me to get into position,” says Lobnig.
“Nothing beats an Olympic medal”
A few weeks before her bicycle crash, the Carinthian achieved her greatest success by winning the bronze medal in Tokyo: “Nothing beats an Olympic medal. The Olympic Games are also simply of a different caliber because the level of attention is correspondingly large. And of course it’s really cool that I also wrote a bit of history in Tokyo.” Lobnig was the first woman in Austria to win an Olympic rowing medal.
“The bronze medal was definitely the highlight of my career so far, but there were other successes that were very emotional for me,” she said. These include the two bronze medals at the World Championships in 2017 and 2018 as well as the European Championship title in 2016. Lobnig also won three silver medals at European Championships (2013, 2018, 2020).
“In general, the last few years have been very successful for me. There are athletes who win at the Olympics and then never show anything once more. I’ve been constantly winning medals in recent years, and so the bronze medal in Tokyo was simply confirmation that I deserved it,” said the Carinthian.
Success in Tokyo as motivation
Her success at the Olympic Games still seems surreal to Lobnig: “Sometimes I have to watch the race once more to understand what I actually achieved in Tokyo. This sometimes becomes a long way off when the training gets tough. Then sometimes I feel so weak that I can’t even imagine what I did last year.”
But when she has watched the Olympic race, she feels strong and invincible once more. However, Lobnig notices that this season is a post-Olympic year: “I try to train a lot. But in an Olympic year you give it your all because it’s the Olympics following all. I don’t want to say that I’m out of breath this year, but it’s a bit more difficult to always pull yourself together for a second session. My body is just a bit tired from the last few years, because I’ve been pushing hard all the time.”
Double sculls for a change
It is therefore important that motivation is maintained during training. To ensure that the units are physically and mentally comfortable, an attempt is made to make the training varied. In addition, Lobnig started in various regattas in different boat classes in preparation. Among other things, she competed with her sister in double sculls.
In general, it would appeal to Lobnig not to focus on the one and take on a new challenge. “But for that my sister, who is currently the second fastest rower in Austria, would have to take the last step.” However, her sister works full-time and that is difficult to reconcile with the training workload and the effort behind it. Lobnig therefore said: “As long as the two cannot row for the medals like I do in the one, my focus is on the one.”
“Long-term goal” is Paris 2024
In the back of his mind, Lobnig is already thinking of the Olympic Games in Paris: “Paris 2024 is absolutely my long-term goal, although it’s not that far away, so you can define it as a goal,” said the Carinthian and added: “But with that I until 2024, I shouldn’t be so strict this year if the scope isn’t quite right in a week. It’s now also regarding maintaining the mood and expanding the team so that it can take me to the games once more.”
