From the University of Ostrava to the Olympics
Tereza Švábíková, a badminton player and student of the combined programme of Coaching and Sports Performance at the Faculty of Education at the University of Ostrava, qualified for the Paris Summer Olympics Games. "If you want to combine elite sport together with your studies, the University of Ostrava is definitely a good choice," she says.
After a year-long qualification process, Tereza won a place in the Czech Republic's team for the Summer Olympics Games in Paris and, together with three other players, was a member of the largest Czech Olympic badminton team ever. "The key to my success was probably my parents and my willingness to sacrifice everything," revealed the third-year student in an interview.
How did it feel to qualify for the Olympic Games? Did you ever think that you would achieve such a success?
I think every athlete, who does an Olympic sport and tries to achieve something in it would like to compete under the five rings one day. I have been dreaming about it for a long time. Maybe since the first time I won something. It was my biggest dream.
Why do you think you were able to reach such a competitive level in badminton at such a young age?
The key to my success was probably my parents and my willingness to sacrifice everything. In my case, I moved to Denmark, which is considered to be the world’s top badminton country, when I was quite young. Because there were no opportunities for this sport in the Czech Republic at that time. It meant leaving my family and friends and changing my priorities.
It taught me how to take care of myself, which definitely helped me when I travelled around the world. I learnt discipline and also perseverance – the road to qualification was not always positive, but with the right mind-set and by not giving up, I achieved success.
How does the University of Ostrava support you in your studies?
The support from the University of Ostrava has been great over the years, the teachers are always there to help me. Whenever I needed a consultation or to reschedule an exam due to my tournaments, we always found a solution to accommodate my busy schedule. Until the beginning of this year, I was also supported by the UNIS project, which I received thanks to the University of Ostrava. It really helped me.
What is also important for me is the individual study plan, which I have approved as a top athlete. Studying at the University of Ostrava has been the right option for me – I can’t imagine that other universities would be as accommodating as they are here. If you want to combine elite sport together with your studies, the University of Ostrava is definitely a good choice.
Updated: 01. 08. 2024
