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Their breakup after Rio was very painful for fans, so it’s no wonder that last year, when the athletes sat in a shared boat, high hopes for the Tokyo Olympics fell on their shoulders.
Everyone is used to it: Donata and Milda row only for medals. They did the same at the Tokyo Games, but they took one of the most painful spots in the doubles final. Their fight made many Lithuanians in Tokyo get up early and gave them a lot of adrenaline and made them think: how is it possible?
“It just came to our knowledge then. If they had won the medal, it would have been a fantastic success,” he aptly described the situation to M. Valčiukaitė and D. Karalienė, coach Virgaudas Leknickas.
If we turn back the clock a little, it will be very easy to understand the essence of the miracle.
An extraordinary success story
After the Rio de Janeiro Games, D.Kalienė decided to help out at one point in his professional career. Soon, the rowing federation had to find another partner for M.Valčiukaitė, and D.Karalienė devoted himself to family life. Twins Dovydas and Povilas were born in the fall of 2018, and M.Valčiukaitė shared a boat with Ieva Adomavičiūtė in a rowing competition.
The latter became European and world champion, but soon the rowing world was rocked by two painful news: M.Valčiukaitė suffered a serious back injury, and I. Adomavičiūtė’s doping sample contained the prohibited substance hygiene.
D.Karienė’s decision to return announced in Fall 2020 was revived.
“It should be understood that we started work only after the New Year. Donata came back after a three and a half year break. Milda – after severe spinal surgery. It was said that not only could she not start, but she could also play sports “said V. Leknickas in Tokyo.
Return – successful
D.Karalienė and M.Valčiukaitė very quickly remembered the paths that led to victories. In 2021, they won European silver. It was a sign that the rowers who had rejoined forces had enormous potential.
This could also be seen on the Sea Forest waterway. No Lithuanian pair boat was so convincing: D.Karalienė and M.Valčiukaitė definitely reached the final, where they had a chance to win bronze.
The main competitors were the Dutch Roos de Jong and Lisa Scheenaard. The Lithuanians won in 2000 in 6 minutes. 47.44 seconds, and the Dutch, in 6 minutes. 45.73 seconds
After the finale, 27-year-old M.Valčiukaitė sensitively revealed that he believed in the Olympic medal, and 32-year-old D.Karalienė thanked all the fans for their support.
“You know there are no ‘losers’ (losers, – ed.) Go to the Olympics. The best teams race here. This is not a world or European championship, but an Olympics. There are no weaklings here. The second and a half What they lost is … – V. Leknickas spoke the day after the final – Of course, we may not have “worked”, there may have been problems with us, but it is a sport. We really did not do what we did during our training in Lithuania. The boat was different. We may not have had the same conditions as the others. Some had more time to acclimatize. We weren’t in the water for a few days. Maybe that affected him too, but I think they turned out great . They showed the best moment of their season. Everything is fine. “
– D.Karalienė announced in the fall of 2020 that he wanted to return. Did you expect then that a return in half a year would turn into a battle for the Olympic medals? – In Tokyo, journalists asked V. Leknickas.
– When I was assigned to coach this team, it was a great responsibility. I didn’t think girls would accept me the way they did. We found a common language, there were no major conflicts. The result shows that everything was normal.
And about Donatas, a language apart. This is a unique person. I don’t know if there is anyone in Lithuania in other sports, like Donata.
This is a real example for young athletes of how they work, how they are brought into sport and how they take their own lives. After all, he has family and children, but guess everywhere: after training, he runs to Vilnius, works there with children, and in the afternoon he returns to Trakai to train.
Donata is a unique person. And I think everything is still in front of her. I mean results and great achievements. Give health to God and she has a lot for her.
– M.Valčiukaitė mentioned a miracle after the final …
– I had in mind that I was back in sports. There were many questions about her in the spring. When we started training, I just saved it. He was afraid to give in because he knew what trauma and spinal surgery meant.
She told me: “Coaches, don’t worry, I’m ready and I can do anything.” Girls like that.
And Donata is a completely different story.
Girls: maximalists. They are both leaders.
Of course, when there are two leaders in a team, it is very difficult to manage, but we control ourselves.
– Immediately after the final, both M.Valčiukaitė and D.Karalienė were disappointed. Have they already gone from that sadness of the end to the joy of a very high achievement?
– I’ll say it frankly – Donata believed in the medal.
Milda hesitated a bit. We talk to her a lot. We talked two nights that they really could win a medal and Milda seems to have believed it. Maybe not definitely, but he believed he could.
He distrusts since the last seasons, where he started with I. Adomavičiūtė. They were only in the second six. Perhaps mistrust remains.
His shot was seen to be more passive than before. In the past, the ending was fiery. Those seconds and a half were supposed to disappear, but they did.
– D.Karalienė said they missed most of the four years of preparation together. Games of Paris 2024: for three years. What can we expect where they come from after working together for a long time?
– I can’t say anything about next year. I can’t say anything about this team. Maybe they won’t. I can not say anything.
Maybe someone will give birth to children, start a family. Women are women.
I can predict that we will prepare anyway, but here is life.
Thoughts, priorities and we will be attentive. Of course, there is not much time left before the Olympics. We will observe.
– Are there already competitors for D.Karalienė and M.Valčiukaitė in Lithuania?
– Any. Absolutely. There are young and young, but that is not the level. But the result of D.Karalienė and M.Valčiukaitė is stable. Perhaps there was a lack of success. But some win, others lose. What a life.
