Before Natalia Drobot fell in love with canoe sprint, she used to literally fall into the water. A lot.
Having sampled more than a dozen different sports in her young life, why did she persist with this one pursuit, where in the early stages she seemed more destined to end up in the drink?
“It had strength, power, balance and coordination, and just also my love for speed,” says Drobot of the many different aspects that attracted her to canoe sprint. “It involved everything … it was amazing.”
Drobot, 18, is off to a fantastic start to her first senior international season for Australia, having won a bronze medal in the women’s K1 200 at her World Cup debut in Szeged, Hungary, in May.
While Drobot continues to pursue her Olympic dreams, she still remains patient with the process.
“I am quite young, I still have a lot to go,” she says.
“The Olympics has always been a dream, ever since I was a little girl. I remember when I was four and I was doing gymnastics and I just got into school and I was like, ‘I’m going to the Olympics’.
“I had no idea what sport. I was doin 14 sports, I thought I was going to go for gymnastics.
“The Olympics is definitely the goal, and always has been, and I think I’ve just found my sport. So we’ll just continue on that journey.”
Drobot emerged from Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club on the NSW Central Coast, which has also produced the likes of world champions and two-time Olympians, Loccy Tame and Riley Fitzsimmons.
She turned to canoe sprint when she was 13, trying to improve her control on the surf ski, but she discovered a new sporting passion on the flat water.
“So I joined [Avoca Kayak Club] and just began paddling. I had a lot of fails. I would say I fell in a lot, but I persisted and I just fell in love … I decided to take kayaking to the next level.
“The journey was quite long. I started paddling once a week, so it really was a short time I had in the boat each week. But I started getting more into it and just having a lot more fun with it as I began progressing, as I wasn’t falling in as much. I got the speed and that was great to progress from there.
“I was doing so much surf training, swimming, running and gymnastics as well. Then I decided, this [canoe sprint] is a sport that I really want to continue.”
With less than two years’ experience in the sport, Drobot won every Under 16 event at the national championships and earned selection in the Australian junior team. The COVID pandemic, however, limited any opportunities to compete internationally.
The NSW Institute of Sport Scholarship holder is therefore enthusiastic about testing herself against international competition this year. After finishing school in 2022, Drobot relocated from the NSW Central Coast to the Gold Coast to join the national squad in full-time training at the National Centre of Excellence.
“I really have taken it to the next level,” she says.
“I’ve loved just having one focus, and it really allows me to hone-in on kayaking. Being able to paddle and gym every day, not really worry about anything else. Last year, it was quite hard trying to juggle school and training. Year 12 was a very big part of my life and it was definitely a struggle, but I got through it.”
Drobot says it’s “surreal” to be training and learning from Australia’s best paddlers. Another Avoca paddler, and Australian teammate, Ella Beere is among the mentors she calls her “big sister”.
“I’ve looked up to her since I started paddling as she is a few years older than me, and she just has been so inspirational and being able to give me advice,” Drobot says.
“I’d see her nearly every day, especially through COVID, and she’d just given me so much advice and help. It was amazing just to have her there as a big sister. She really is a big sister to me, and it’s amazing now to even paddle with her every day.”
Drobot says she is grateful that she’s had the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of her Avoca Surf Life Saving Club teammates Tame and Fitzsimmons.
“It’s a pretty surreal feeling…is. I was just in shock that I was able to paddle with two-time Olympians after looking up to Loccy and Riley at home. It’s just been amazing to lean on them and get advice from them and all their experience they’ve had over the years.”
Drobot feels lucky to have sampled so many sports in her youth, and when asked what advice she’d give her four-year-old self, the one first dreaming of being an Olympian, she was reminded of the pure joy that sport can bring.
“Find what makes you happy and just really enjoy every moment, because it does go quite fast,” she says.
“It is tough, and I think everyone would know being an elite athlete is. But also there is a lot of fun. You have those stressful times, those important meets and regattas, but also day-to-day, it’s just fun. We’re always laughing and having a giggle, that’s what it’s all about.”
