Meet Bulcsú, a recent IB graduate who has successfully balanced two high-performance sports while excelling academically. Through determination, discipline, and a love for both speed and endurance, Bulcsú shares how he managed the unique challenge of pursuing sprint kayaking and cross-country skiing alongside the rigorous IB Diploma Programme.

Can you briefly introduce yourself.

Hello, my name is Bulcsú and I have just graduated with my International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. I'm Hungarian and have been living in France for three years, having joined Ermitage International School in IB DP1. I like doing sports and have many other hobbies. My main interests are history, politics and computers.

How long have you been involved in Sprint Kayak and Cross-country skiing?

I began kayaking about ten years ago in Hungary. My experience with cross-country skiing is a bit more complicated; I started alpine skiing at a young age, around seven, but I never competed. I took up cross-country skiing a few years later, approximately a decade ago. Although the two sports are similar, they're also quite different, so alpine skiing provided a solid foundation for cross-country.

What inspired you to start each sport?

That's an excellent question because there is a very straightforward reason. My dad was a professional sprint kayak athlete, so it was obvious that I'd choose kayaking. I used to swim before making the switch. 

As for cross country skiing, my uncle was also a professional biathlete (cross country skiing combined with shooting), which inspired me to start, and he taught me the sport.

Which sport do you like the most between Sprint Kayak and Cross-country skiing? And why?

Kayaking is my primary hobby, perhaps even more than that, so I consider it my favourite. I also enjoy cross-country skiing, however, it has never held the same importance to me as kayaking, mainly due to the friendships I’ve formed in kayaking and the lack of snow where I live and have lived.

How do you manage to practice 2 complete opposite sports at the same time?

It's quite challenging, especially because of the Internal Assessments and the lack of snow. Practicing kayaking is relatively easy because my club Athlétic Club Boulogne Billancourt (ACBB) is nearby my house, and I live close to the Seine, so I can train normally. I lived at the French Olympic Centre in Vaires-sur-Marne in the 2022-23 season as I was part of two programmes, CREPS and Pôle Espoir. I stopped competing in skiing during that season because it was challenging. 

It's difficult to practice both sports because there isn't much snow in Paris, meaning I can't go skiing everyday like I can with kayaking. As a result, I only ski during breaks or occasionally on weekends when we go to the mountains. Although I've stopped competing in skiing, but I still enjoy it as a hobby.

How do your teammates or training environments differ between the two sports?

The two sports are completely different, including the teammates and the environments associated with them. I train both alone and with my club for kayaking, so I see my teammates almost every day. When I lived in Hungary, I trained exclusively with my team, so I believe that having good teammates and friends in kayaking is very important because we spend a lot of time together, and we motivate each other. We view each training as an opportunity to compete with each other because of the intervals, tests and so on. Hungary is internationally known for kayaking, so the environment is very competitive there. When I moved to France I noticed that although the environment is somewhat similar, clubs here tend to feel more like a family with everyone knowing each other because of the training camps held among different clubs.

In Hungary, I was part of a cross-country skiing club and had friends there, but cross-country skiing is more challenging in some ways. Due to the lack of snow, everyone goes to different locations to practice. Currently, I don't have a team for skiing because the nearest snowy mountain is about six hours away.  When we moved to France, I moved into the Olympic Centre, which left me with little free time and energy to focus on skiing as well. However, I’m aware that France excels in skiing, particularly in biathlon, so the environment is very competitive.

 

How have you managed to stay at such a high level over the years? 

I primarily focused and still focus on kayaking and trained everyday, including the mornings, for years, which made progress relatively easy, as everyone in my team in Hungary was disciplined and strong. 

Moving to France didn't change much, as I have strong teammates here as well. I believe that the objective should be progressing instead of just maintaining a high level because the opponents get stronger day by day. The key to improving is training with a team.

Can you share one of your most memorable moments from a competition?

It's a rather funny memory, albeit not a pleasant one, but it's certainly unforgettable. In 2023 during the French National Championship, my teammate and I managed to capsize at the finish line of the K2 (two-seater) 200 metres event in the semi-final. The 200 metres event is the fastest race, so the boats move really fast, so even a fraction of a second can be a game changer. According to the rules, only those whose boat finishes the event in the top three or four (depending on the number of athletes) and passes through the finish line qualify for the final. 

Since we capsized at the finish line, we weren't sure, and even the staff was confused when they checked the photo-finish image. For reference, these photo-finish cameras capture 40,000 frames per second. Fortunately, the tip of the boat reached the finish line, so we qualified for the final.

 

Who has been the biggest influence or support in your athletic journey?

Definitely my dad. He has both inspired and supported me, and he continues to do so, as he is currently one of my main training partners. 

Balancing studies and sports: life as a student-athlete

How do you balance training, competition and classes?

School has been the main priority in the last two years, so I prioritised studying over training. This affected my results in kayaking, but I believe it was worth it because having good grades and passing the IB with good results is crucial for my future. While working on my assessments, I had to miss many training sessions; however, I think school didn't really impact my trainings overall. My participation in competitions was relatively okay during the past two years because I only had to skip one competition, which coincided with the day of the graduation ceremony.

Has your training routine changed during your final year of high school?

Yes, I believe my training routine changed significantly this year because we had to finish the Internal Assessments, which were the most challenging aspect of the IB. My routine also changed in the weeks leading up to the final exams, but I noticed that physical activities outdoors reduce stress and make me sleep better, so I tried doing sports even before and during the exam period. I would recommend this approach to future IB DP2 students!

Do you receive any support from school or teachers to help manage both academics and sports?

Yes, the school supported me by allowing me to arrive later in the day when I didn't have classes in the morning. This helped because I could sleep more or fit in some training. In IB DP2 I had more classes that started in the morning, so I couldn’t do this anymore. My teachers also supported me by helping me prepare for tests during my free periods, and I think this was invaluable.

What is your biggest achievement in both of these sports?

In kayaking, I achieved third place at the French National Championship and have about a dozen top ten finishes from the nationals. 

In cross-country skiing, I earned first and second places at the Hungarian National Championship in 2021, but I no longer compete in skiing.

What has been the most challenging part of your sports career so far?

There have been two significant challenges over the past few years. Firstly, living at the Olympic Centre in Vaires-sur-Marne meant an extreme amount of training sessions, and I was away from my family. 

Secondly, when I came to Ermitage to focus on my studies, I had to adapt to training alone most of the time. This was particularly challenging because I never trained alone before.

Have you had any opportunities to train or compete internationally?

Yes, and no. I trained a lot abroad, in Spain during winter and I even had a training camp in Hungary. While Hungary wasn't really a discovery as I'm Hungarian, it's a popular destination among kayak athletes, which is why my French team chose it. It was nice, though, to meet fellow kayakers from Hungary whom I had never met before. Unfortunately, I couldn't compete internationally because I placed seventh in the selection for the U18 World Championship.

Outside of sports, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I like programming, particularly focusing on the practical implementation of various cryptographic concepts and standards. I also have a passion for photography, but I'm an amateur. 

Then, I like doing other physical activities in my free time. This may seem a bit unusual, but for me, competing at a high level and engaging in various sports as a hobby are very different. I like running and spending time in nature, such as hiking.

How do you see your sports career progressing after you finish high school?

I want to continue kayaking during university, and depending on the availability of a training facility, I'd like to compete at a high level. Kayaking will always be an important part of my life.

What lessons or skills have you learned from practising these 2 sports that apply to other aspects of your life?

I believe the most valuable skills I’ve acquired are adaptability, discipline, resilience and problem-solving. These skills can be applied in many real-life scenarios and have helped me during high school. Sports have also taught me important lessons, such as how to be a gracious winner and a good loser. 

Managing success and failure is challenging, even for seasoned athletes. Demonstrating graciousness in victory and even celebrating the success of opponents is what distinguishes a good sportsman from a poor one. I think this is important and will also benefit me in professional life and in a wide range of future scenarios. Additionally, I’ve also learnt to face opponents who are either older or much stronger than me, as well as the significance of teamwork.

What advice would you give to younger athletes interested in either sport?

Just start, it doesn't matter which sport, just do something. You won't regret it. For obvious reasons - I’m biased here - I recommend kayaking if there is a river or a lake nearby, or skiing if you have access to mountains. There will be times when you may feel like just having fun or staying home, but you'll come to realise that participating in sports is often the highlight of your day. 

Personally, I have met some of my best friends through sports. If you're already an athlete in either sport, just stay focused on your goals; there's no such thing as an overly ambitious goal. Achieving it might take longer, but everything is possible.