Anna Puławska about Ambition, Hard Work, and Persistence in Pursuing a Goal

Your discipline in Poland is rather a niche sport, most often watched during the Olympic Games. What made you interested in kayaking and you decided to practice it?

Yes, it's true - canoeing is quite a niche discipline that is not talked about much, but I started to train this discipline because I come from Masuria, the Land of Great Lakes. Water has always been close to me and this is what attracted me to start kayaking.

How did your sports career start? What particularly influenced you as a young, growing athlete?

My sports career started in a quite funny way, because in the beginning, as a little girl, my twin sister and I went to music school, where we played the violin. One day a teacher told our mother to try to sign us up for some sport, because we have too much energy and we need to find a way to get rid of it somewhere. It was the first stimulus that made me know, without thinking too much, that I wanted to go kayaking when trainers came to school to enroll in the canoeing section. At the beginning - there were ups and downs, often you didn't want to go to training, when your peers were playing in the yard, and I was training at that time. However, I had great support from my family and I know that it was also thanks to them that I persevered in this and that I am now in the place where I am, for which I thank them with all my heart. I started this beautiful adventure when I was 9 years old and it continues to this day.

Before you started your kayaking training, you attended a music school. Is your passion for music still in you? Could it be said that if it weren't for the kayak, you would be playing the violin now?

Oh yes. As I mentioned before, I also tried my hand at a music school. Looking back, I am glad that I put kayaking in the first place. Music was, is and will be in my life. I love to sing (not only in the shower, laughs), but also for myself, to de-stress, to relax, so that this music accompanies me constantly, at every step. I even have a funny story related to my trainer. He knows me so well that when he sees how I have headphones on before some important competition and I start singing a song aloud, regardless of whether someone is next to me or not, he says: “Ooh, Ania is herself! It will be a good race. Also my relatives, friends, and coaches know that music is very important to me and I need it. And would I be playing the violin now, if not for the kayaks? Hmm, I don't know that. However, I know that when I finish my sports career, I would like to fulfill myself musically. Time will tell, but I have some ideas related to music.

You are a student of the University of Physical Education in Gorzów. How do you manage to combine professional sports with learning?

Yes, it's true - I am a student of the University of Physical Education, thanks to which I can combine my studies with professional training. From the very beginning, I have an individual course of study, which allows me to complete courses in a longer time than other students. The lecturers at my university in Gorzów are also very understanding, for which I thank them very much, because I know that thanks to this, I also have a peace of mind to focus on training, and additionally not to miss my studies. As I often say, I can study all my life, and I will not return to sports (laughs).

Despite your young age, you have already achieved a lot in sport. What factors, in your opinion, were the main reasons for this? Workouts, diet, regeneration - what do you pay the most attention to?

For everything and more, but there are many factors that influenced it. I believe that it is probably my inquisitiveness and the fact that I like to know everything: what and why. I ask a lot of questions, I accept a lot of advice, I have a great desire to learn, if I don't know something, I try to find an answer to what bothers me in order to become even better day by day. I ask if they are coaches or my older, more experienced friends. I am such a person that when I start to do something, set goals for myself, I'm 100 percent in it. I follow the principle that if you do something, it is only 100%, because it is a waste of time. The sport is too brutal to do anything half-heartedly. I could write a lot on this topic, but as I mentioned before, I am a person who puts mental play in the first place in preparation, and thus, of course, watching over the diet, good sleep, regeneration, and training performed in accordance with the trainer's assumptions, patience and focus on what is most important, to look at myself in the mirror and be able to say that I did everything to achieve success.

In your debut at the Olympics, you became an Olympic multimedialist. How does it feel to take part in such an important event for an athlete and celebrate success right away?

Great, unique, exceptional. I think that every athlete training in competitive Olympic sport, dreams of an Olympic medal, because it is to some extent the culmination of all these sacrifices, commitment, and dedication to win at the most important competitions. Winning two medals in my debut at the Olympics, it would seem that I can be fulfilled, that I have what I dreamed of, that I can easily end my career (laughs) and that's what I thought: that it will happen, that I will win the first medal and want to start a family and start simply living... But life itself verified my plans. After winning the medals, I want more. I feel that I am not completely satisfied. I feel that I can do more and I have set the bar even higher for myself. That is why my career continues - I still want to win a gold medal for Poland, or actually it would be the first historic gold medal in classic canoeing, which no one has ever won at the Olympic Games. It all motivates you even more and drives you to work hard. So as soon as my health is good, we will see you in Paris, and I will not leave there without a gold medal.

At the Tokyo Olympics, you competed in tandem with the experienced Karolina Naja. To what extent did her presence motivate you to train and compete?

Yes, it's true - Karolina Naja is a very experienced and famous competitor. From the beginning of our relationship, when I was a young player to the group of coach Tomasz Kryk, we caught the vibe, a common ground. We know each other very well. In fact, we understand each other without words, we think the same about training, we look for details in the same way and we sincerely want to change ourselves and do everything to become even better players. This translates perfectly into training. We have this healthy competition between ourselves, which drives us to work, and thanks to this, we also raise our sports level.

To what extent did your training sessions, as well as your mental approach, was influenced by the decision to postpone the Games for a year?

Honestly, at first, I had mixed feelings when I found out. I was sorry, maybe I even broke down a bit, but it passed quickly when our trainer changed our approach to this situation and said that we should treat this extra year as a bonus and that we have more time to do this, prepare for the most important competition. So then I realized that you have to change your attitude and it really happened. It was an extra year to change something else, to be more involved in various topics and to take care of preparation even better. Financially, it did not change anything, because all scholarships were postponed by a year, also because there were no competitions, and since in my discipline the funding from each season has to be proven with the result, fortunately in this situation everything was additionally postponed, which I am very happy about. When it comes to training, I also know that my coach was in charge of everything and at the moment of the worst pandemic situation according to the media, when all the teams returned to the countries, my team was the only one to stay in Portugal for a month and a half, all in order not to stop training and to avoid everything that the media has created in the world. After the media and the union announced that we were to return to Poland because there were the last flights and then it was not known when we would be able to return, we took the risk. We went against the tide, only changing the place where we were staying. With the kindness of the hotel owner, we could continue our training in the small town of Vila Nova de Milfontes. Where did this decision come from? We were aware that the return to Poland would end in a quarantine that would exclude us from specialist training on the water for 14 days. It was very important to us back then, because despite the Olympic Games rescheduling, my coach wanted the preparation cycle to be similar as much as possible. It happened so, which I am very happy about. I am extremely grateful that I surround myself with such wonderful people who, despite everything, are able to get their way and not give up. Today, when I look back, I can say that it was the best decision we could have made at that moment.

Your achievements include silver and bronze medals in the world and European championships - only gold is missing. Do you feel pressure to be the best and meet high expectations of your fans?

Do I feel pressure? Rather not, on the contrary - I have a huge desire and motivation to get the gold medal that I miss. I got the taste of silver and bronze. I already know that medals can be won at the Olympics, so I have the feeling to get down to work and keep doing what I love so much. This season, the trainer is also making a lot of changes, experimenting, which is cool because we can see what else has a chance to bring results to our work. We started working with coach Sebastian Zachara. It is a motor preparation trainer, which was never there in our group. We learn breathing techniques, we look for additional stimuli that will bring us closer to sports championship. I think that thanks to this, there is no room for pressure, because we can pursue the set goals in peace and trust.

When preparing for the season, you often choose alternative training methods, such as mountain running or cross-country skiing. How important is the versatility in this discipline?

Very important, indeed. Kayaking is not just about training on the water, as some people may think. This question should rather be directed to my trainer. But I can admit, from the competitor's side, that we reach almost every discipline, only to get into the kayak and win at the end.

You practice a demanding sports discipline. What are your trainings like in the pre-competition period and in the pre-training period?

I can describe one day in my training life during the racing season. I get up in the morning at 6:30 and start my ritual with breakfast (oatmeal). Then I get ready for lunch, which I eat in the cafeteria, then I start to prepare for the first training on the water, which is usually the main training and the most important. In the starting season, it looks like we are already sailing sections, which then are in competitions. After the first workout, I get ready for lunch, and after that I have a moment to recover for the second workout, which is usually aimed at regeneration. There are two units: we start with water technically and depending on whether it is a running or strength day, we do a unit on the water or running or a gym. After running, always exercise, dinner, and I can start my recovery. Before going to bed, I use hypnosis, which I have been using for a short time. It really helps me, but most of all I believe with all my strength that it works in my favor, helps me relax and unwind. In the period of detraining, after the most important competitions, I gradually step down from training loads so that my body does not experience shock. Then I allow myself to let go of the diet a little. I need my head to rest from the kayaks, then I put the oar down, I don't go to the water or do, it depends on what I feel like doing. Most often, I rest when I go home to Masuria. There I can truly relax and feel the freedom that I need just at the moment of training. This period lasts about a month, but I treat it as an active rest so that I do not stop training completely and make it easier to return to full training.

At what point in your career did you start running your first channel and on what social media platform?

I created my first fanpage on Facebook when I decided that my sports achievements are so high that I would like to share them with others so that they could, for example, draw inspiration or motivation from me. It was in 2014, when I won my first European Championship medal in the individual K1 500m competition. A few weeks later, I decided that it would also be worth setting up a profile on Instagram, because most people are here, collecting ideas for themselves, watching InstaStory, etc. It was a very good decision, because quite quickly people started to like me, they liked my posts and what my sports life looks like.

What was the beginning of your activity on Instagram and where did the idea for such a profile come from? What did you want to achieve by acting in social media and what was your goal? Who did you want to reach?

The idea was born from the fact that my sports career began to develop, and knowing that canoeing is a niche discipline, I wanted to promote it somehow through Instagram so that people would know more about it. To get them to know me, my sports life, how I come to my sports achievements, what I use and what I avoid. By creating this profile, I wanted to reach people who want to change their lives for the better and start playing sports, eating healthily, knowing their worth and understanding that it is never too late to change.

You already have almost 100,000 followers on your Instagram account, which is an impressive number. Did you notice the biggest fan growth after your success at the Olympics? What do you think makes so many people want to watch you?

Yes it's true. The biggest increase was just after winning medals at the Olympics, which I am very pleased with. I am glad that such a large group of people became interested in me and want to watch me, listen to me and be with me in what I do and show. It is beautiful and motivates me a lot to work even more. How do I attract people? Hmm, I think the most important is the fact that I never pretend to be anyone, I am always myself and I convey to people what I would like to receive, as a listener - that is the truth. My sports experiences, advice, sometimes mistakes that I made, with a warning that someone else should not make the same. This is my key to making everything develop so well, and I know it's not over yet. This is just the beginning of my path, which I follow patiently and with great willingness to fulfill my dream goals and resolutions.

If you were to describe your Instagram profile in a few words - what is it about? What content are your followers most interested in?

My profile is about me, about my sports life, it has a bit of a personal touch, but more sports content that interests my followers. I show everything that I would like to see myself, the truth, sports results on a regular basis, what is happens to me, whether in sports or in private life. I think that with my attitude and what I do, it also motivates people to start taking care of themselves, changing their lives for the better, becoming better versions of themselves every day. Thanks to this, I also give myself a huge kick of motivation to act every time. I think that the content from my competitions and my sports results are the most popular because they attract fans who are interested in it, but also those who know little about the sport and want to learn more. I believe that medals and good sports results are the most watched and appreciated. In addition, fun facts and other things from my sports life that interest other athletes who want to learn something and find out what I do to be the best in my field. I believe that I am also an inspiration for young players or people who are starting their adventure with sport or with a healthy lifestyle. I try to show people my life as it really is and I think that people are most attracted to it.

How does social media presence affect you as an athlete? What are the benefits for you?

Certainly, nowadays social media is a good way to promote sport, to show yourself as a person, to become a popular figure that everyone will recognize right away, and that's beautiful. I have a dream that my discipline would become very popular in Poland, because at the moment it is a niche sport, and yet the results at the Olympic Games are repeatable and we always bring back medals. The benefits are that I have established many collaborations thanks to the fact that my profile has become popular. I am very happy about it, because I always wanted it. I respect it and I am very happy that finally my efforts and my sports results pay off. It gives me a huge kick to work even more and continue training. I think that social media helps me in this and makes this path easier. Thanks to the fact that I am active in them and I try to do it regularly, the people who are with me now will also be there for me at all times, for better or for worse.

How do you create content on social media? Do you post something spontaneously or do you have a well-thought-out strategy for building a community?

I try to post content on my Instagram spontaneously, because I think that people respond to it better when you do something naturally. I can't pretend to be someone I am not. I always do what I feel at the moment, both in sport and in my private life, I believe that it has worked for many years and brought real benefits.

Does the fact that so many people follow you on social media motivate you or put you under some pressure?

I never put pressure on myself, neither in my private life nor in sports. I try to do my own thing, and when I see it works, it drives me even more to work and to develop even more. Motivation is a word that is always with me and I try to stick to it.

You are extremely popular on Instagram - do you think that the general interest in kayaking increased thanks to you?

I hope so. I believe that my sports results, especially from the Olympics, have raised the popularity of my sport because I have always cared a lot about it. I want more and more people to see canoeing, that people are interested in this discipline, that they know the names of the best canoeing boats. I think it is slowly going in the right direction, and I am trying to contribute to it. I am very happy and proud that I train this discipline, that I can represent our country on international arenas with an eagle on my chest and glorify Poland all over the world. Whenever there are sports results, when the media starts to get interested in a given sport, it becomes popular, and therefore, of course, then the players also become popular. More and more people are starting to be interested in them, cooperation is born that are beneficial both for investors and for the players themselves.

What do you think a sports influencer should be like? Are the personality and charisma of the creator, as well as the ability to communicate, engage their community and build relationships with audiences the key to success?

In my opinion, as I mentioned before, an influencer should be true in what he does and offers. I think personality and charisma are important here. Commitment as well, because the recipient, seeing a person who shows him what he is doing or what his sports life looks like, is waiting for information that he shows in social media. I know from my own experience what it is like when I have an idol or someone I follow. I also want to be up to date with this person to follow what he communicates to people. I think that success lies in the truth and the ability to convey what the viewer wants to see or hear. I try to show it and I can see that the reception is greater and that people are waiting for my posts.

You have a popular profile on social media and your focus is on a particular sport. What features of an influencer are well perceived by the followers?

As I have already mentioned, for me these are primarily credibility and authenticity, because they represent what I want to convey, so that, for example, someone can be inspired by what I do and become a better person thanks to it, or try it thanks to my advice and change his life, his thinking and his perception of the world. I find it more valuable and shows my real world, both good and bad. There are also such moments and I try to show them in order to give my recipients the opportunity to reflect or learn from my mistakes, not to repeat them in their lives or in the decisions they will make.

How do you communicate with your community? In your case, replying to all messages is probably not always possible. Do you try to interact with your followers?

I try to reach the general public, but when I see that someone is very interested or even fascinated, I am open to conversation and write back or talk to such a person. I do the same. If I am interested in something, I am very inquisitive about the subject and I would like someone to answer my doubts or questions. I always try to do what I would expect of myself. That's why I often interact with my followers.

How do you mentally deal with both the pressure and the public opinion that an influencer has to face?

Honestly, I am a very conscious athlete and I try to separate it with a thick line and I think that it works great for me. I have my limits and I know to what point I can mentally allow someone to enter my life, so public opinion doesn't really bother me. I deal with it in my own way and I don't think I have a problem with it. I work with a mental trainer who works quickly and when he sees that something is bothering me or worrying, he can quickly bring me into my neutral and favorable state from this bad condition, thanks to which I can focus on calm training and achieving results.

Presence on social media means not only contact with fans, but often also unflattering comments or even hate - do you have such situations, and if so, how do you deal with them?

I have the impression that hate is very popular nowadays and applies to everyone who is a well-known figure on social media. Of course, there will be people who are not satisfied with me, but I try to exclude such people from my sports life. I am mentally strong enough that despite the fact that hate concerns me, I do not pay attention to it and I distract myself from it emotionally, because I do not want to have anything to do with it.

Do you earn money from social media activities? With how many followers on Instagram did you get the first real cooperation offers from companies?

Yes, I do earn, but it is not yet known how much money, but there are collaborations that allowed me to earn. However, the first collaborations began when the number of my followers increased to 50,000.

How did you develop your account over the years, how long did it take and what was the way to building such a large community? Did it require a lot of effort and commitment from you, more work and money?

Account development is not such a simple matter, but I believe that patience and striving to achieve your goals, both in sport and in life on social media, is the key here. I have had it since I was a child that I always had to work for what I wanted to have and I think that it also helped me to translate it into my adult life. I have been working on my account for several years. However, I noticed such an increase after the Olympics and they gave me such an extra kick to develop also on Instagram. I noticed that I can become really good in this area as well. I always set the bar high for myself and persistently pursue my goals.

What would you advise young people who will just enter their adult life and choose a career path before them: for some sports, for others maybe in social media - how to deal with competition?

I think that everyone has to find out for themselves and see what suits them and where they feel better. I would advise you to just set a goal, be it in sports or on social media, and persistently pursue it, regardless of what is happening around you. One goal and the constant and patient pursuit of it. It is also very important to have faith in your strength and abilities, because it gives you a lot of strength to achieve these goals.

What do you think is most important to success in this sport?

In my opinion, the most important thing is to be patient with what you do. In kayaking, it is also important to give something back. I myself am a competitor who is constantly trying to look for something that will bring me even closer as a person to be an even better version of myself. Regularity also allows us to have peace of mind that whatever happens, you can stand in the mirror and tell yourself that you did everything to achieve your goals and dreams. Build yourself every day and not give up until the end, take care of your mental peace, learn to live in harmony with yourself, love yourself. To love what you do, so that it gives us great pleasure every day - I believe that this is a recipe for success.

What are your development plans for social media activities? Are you planning any changes in your digital activities? What is your priority?

I would like to develop something that will make me more active in spoken relations. I would like to transform written reports into such relations that will allow me to reach my audience even more. This is my little goal at the moment and I would like to pursue it.

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