American paddler Steven Haxton says he feels like a “different animal” after retiring from Para rowing to focus fully on Paracanoe for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Haxton is arriving in the French capital with just one sport to prepare for having previously juggled rowing and canoeing.
At Tokyo 2020, Haxton represented the US in both Para rowing and Paracanoe.
It was an historic Games for Haxton who claimed men’s VL2 silver to become the first US paddler to win a Paracanoe medal.
“We had hoped that if everything went right I might get a medal but it wasn’t expected so it was a pleasant surprise for everybody,” said Haxton.
Haxton, a double amputee, started out in Para rowing, making his Paralympic debut in the sport at Rio 2016.
Just two years after taking up Paracanoe in 2019, Haxton managed to secure
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“One of the things that made that it so odd was that I was there for so long.
“Canoeing and rowing don’t overlap so you row first and then go straight into the canoe.
“We were in Japan for 17 days and training and racing everyone of them.
“That was a long stretch.
“The difference between canoeing and rowing is massive.
“It’s two kilometres versus 200m.
“Training for both is massively different to the rhythm of just training for one.”
Haxton believed that he benefitted from competing in both sports as he switched from being an endurance athlete to a speed demon on the water.
“Going from rowing to canoeing has been great,” said Haxton.
“Mentally preparing for 2k is very different to 200m.
“You are talking 10 minutes versus 50 seconds.
“I think the transition has been really easy, it made the 200m seem like nothing which it isn’t.
“Comparatively it’s been an easier switch.
“I think the aerobics of spending the better part of 10 years rowing has been really helpful.
“Because of the distances involved in rowing, it is an endurance sport so you don’t focus enough time on the brute force, maximum-effort strokes that are so important in canoeing.
“Being able to shift my workload away from the long distance and endurance into the more powerful sprint work has definitely helped on the canoeing side.
“I am glad that the transition has been completed as I am not even close to being in the shape for rowing that I was in three years ago, but I am in much better shape for canoeing.”
Haxton’s last Para rowing race was at Tokyo 2020 as he decided to throw all his efforts into Paracanoe for Paris 2024.
The 33-year-old has been in good form, winning bronze at the International Canoe Federation Paracanoe World Championships in 2023 and 2024.
He is set to face stiff competition from Brazilians Fernando Rufino de Paulo and Igor Alex Tofalini at Paris 2024.
“I am very much a different animal (compared to Tokyo 2020) and I am looking forward to it,” said Haxton.
“If I can come away with a medal, I would view that as a success.
“I think the field is very strong.
“It is going to be so tight all the way across.
“I could not medal and still feel successful because the field is so good.
“The medal is always the goal but before that it is about paddling your best race and seeing how it goes.
“I am trying to keep my head in my lane.”
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