Holding his boat and paddle in one hand and his young child in the other, Isak Ohrstrom has got his hands full as he heads for another day on the water in preparation for the Olympics.
Life changed for the Swedish paddler when his little daughter Helga was born in November 2022.
As well as his wife, Monika Mitasikova, as his coach, Ohrstrom now has a toddler watching on.
Helga is the new member of the team that has helped Ohrstrom return to the Olympic stage for a second time – eight years after his debut.
Whether she is running up and down the river bank watching her dad compete or getting into his boat while he is training, Helga is fully embracing life as part of a kayaking family.
Mitasikova, a former international paddler for Slovakia, has been coaching her husband for the past two years.
Ohrstrom said having his wife and daughter by his side has helped him perform on the water as he gears up for the Olympics.
“I have my wife as a coach and we have a little kid who is following us around,” said Ohrstrom.
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“I think my set up has been really nice for the last few years.
“My wife has been coaching me for two years now and she was an athlete before.
“My daughter Helga is one and a half.
“It is a different world now and puts paddling into a different perspective which is nice to have other things that are more important.”
Ohrstrom said his preparations for the Games were better than when he last competed at the Olympics in 2016.
The Swede placed 15th in the men’s K1 at Rio 2016 but missed out on a place at Tokyo 2020.
This season has seen Ohrstrom finish seventh and 12th in the men’s K1 at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup events in Prague and Krakow respectively.
“I am feeling good,” said Ohrstrom.
“My form is on the rise which is nice.
“It will be my second Games and this time I hope to be a little bit more prepared.
“I really like the course in Paris so I am excited.
“I was selected very late (for Rio 2016).
“It was in Brazil so I didn’t have a lot of training beforehand.
“The first time I was there it was the Games.
“This time, we have had a World Cup in Paris and some training camps there.
“I have had some time there before the Games so it will be a different story, hopefully.”
As well as competing in K1 at the Games, Ohrstrom will battle it out in kayak cross which will make its Olympic debut in Paris.
“I am hoping that I can perform at my top level and then we will see what that means in terms of results,” added Ohrstrom.
“It’s always hard as there are so many good guys.
“You need to have a bit of luck and then you can go a long way.”
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