In 2014 Anna Karasz announced herself on the international scene with two gold medal-winning performances at the ICF U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships; today she sat on the start line in Rio dreaming of gold on the world's biggest stage.
The 23-year-old rising star comes from Hungary, a nation where silver is not an option, a nation that has won more Olympic canoe sprint medals than any other, a nation where winning national team selection has often been deemed more difficult than international success.
It is the last point that is always uppermost in the mind of Karasz, who, since stepping up to the senior level, is now competing directly for national selection to the RIo Olympics with one of the sports legends, a ten-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist, Danuta Kozák (HUN).
Underlining her phenomenal rise towards the top, Karasz said, "I think the whole season was just great for me. Because in Hungary I had a very big challenge, to beat Danuta. I did it two times. I'm very pleased with this result."
However, despite her success on a national front, the once inevitable international glory did not come at the recent world championships in Milan where Karasz finished second in the K1W 500m behind New Zealand's Lisa Carrington.
"With the worlds I'm not satisfied. I'm not satisfied with second. I know I have some things I have to improve and I'd like to be the best next year.”
"I'm not in an easy situation, you know in the last few years we didn't have such a big challenge from other nations, such as Lisa."
Since winning the K1W 200m gold in London, Carrington has become the new international benchmark over the two shortest sprint distances (200m and 500m).
This new challenge has certainly been noted, and one that Karasz is preparing to tackle head on.
"I'm so motivated. I will do my best in every training and we will see who's the best."
Asked what she could improve, she continued, "I think you can always improve everything all the time. I would like to improve my technique a little bit. I need more strength, maybe. I also can improve myself mentally."
"For us [the Hungarian team] it’s very hard to be at top form so many times in a year, because we have two selections, and the Europeans […] You have to be on your top form all the time and I think that was the hardest part of this year, just to do it again at the worlds, so I think this is what I need to improve. Just be ready for racing, be ready maybe four times in the season."
Perhaps it is this need to peak so many times in a season that is weakening the Hungarians chance of success.
Today, Karaz rolled in behind Volha Khudzenka (BLR) in the K1W 500m final, but achieved her main objective, getting comfortable for her dream of returning next year at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
“This is very good feeling, I tried to take it all in and make myself comfortable. I hope I will be here next year.”
