It was around halfway through the discussion about her remarkable season that Roksana Slupek repeated the phrase. “Again, I need to say I’m not going to be special.” This time it was a preface to describing her experiences of the Paris Olympic Games, an event for which a mere half year earlier her hopes of qualifying were a long shot at best, a mirage at worst.
On multiple occasions, Slupek reached for the same self-effacing denial that there was anything particularly special about her year or experiences compared to other athletes. With respect, that might not be entirely true. Every Olympian has a story to tell but there is something to Slupek’s trajectory, ranging from where she was, to where she has been, and to where she is going, that marks her out as special.
This time last year, Slupek had only just begun the early stages of a comeback from injury that trashed her 2023 season. “I'm not sure how many months I lost,” she said. “I came to the point that I didn't want to really think about anything connected to the Olympics because I was physically and mentally not there.'
“I didn't know a hundred percent what caused my injury. It was just me and a lot of doctors guessing. I saw so many people in Poland and also while I was trying to train in France and in Spain, so it was a horrible moment for me. I actually felt that my chances of qualifying for my first Olympics were done, and there was no chance that I could still make it.”
During her six month absence from racing, Slupek’s struggles were also not confined to her physical condition. While she noted that the injury was not the only factor, during 2023 she also dealt with depression. It is a time she says is still hard to discuss.
“It's way easier to talk about that now when everything is going well, but still, if I would like to really take my mind back to that moment, I think I would struggle to say any words that could describe that.”
“I think I didn't really want to admit my issues and problems, but also when I was at that moment I was trying to look for athletes that went through tough moments like that because I think it helps like to not feel lonely or to not have this feeling that something is wrong with me or that I am too weak and not in a place to be a professional athlete. That's why, if I can, I try to say a few words about that for others, but I promise myself I'm not going to go back to this moment again.”
One thing that helped her through this phase was actually the support of her fellow triathletes. “It's actually funny because I didn't say it out loud, but only athletes can understand each other and really a lot of them guessed what was happening and gave me messages and words of comfort, so I really appreciate it and that definitely helped.”
Once Slupek made it through the tough times of 2023, her first steps initiated a gathering momentum that only built as the months wore on. Two Continental Cup wins gave her hope at the end of 2023 while she opened her 2024 campaign with another win at that level.
“I have no words to describe what I was feeling,” she said of her initial comeback success. “I was just enjoying being healthy and training with my squad and my coach. Then I was just myself during the race and tried to focus on each step slowly. Of course, as it got closer and closer to qualification, like I said before I thought it was impossible.”
Heading into the spring, Slupek then seemed to defy the impossible. She enjoyed a terrific run of World Cup results that catapulted her up the Olympic qualification rankings. A 6th place in Wollongong preceded a 4th place in Samarkand. In between, she claimed a maiden World Cup medal in Chengdu.
“It started to be a serious game counting points. That was a time not full of enjoyment with how stressful it was but I think I still would say that there was way more joy and joyful moments in all of that period, but I was so, so focused.”
Before the close of the qualification window, though, Slupek’s path to Paris – through the European New Flag place – seemed all but certain.
“When I qualified and a bit before, because let's say the last three races we kind of knew that it's more likely to happen, that was amazing. I felt so blessed and lucky and I think because of the tough moments, this qualification and the way I did it and how hard it was to get it was so, so sweet. I really have no words to describe it, but I still have goosebumps when I think about it.”
Capping off her extraordinary late surge into the Olympics was a best ever WTCS result of 16th in Cagliari where she mixed it with the very best in the business. “I actually remember where it was probably 99% sure I was going to go to the Olympics and I jumped on my bike and I saw Flora Duffy, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Cassandre Beaugrand. So I was like, ‘oh God, this looks so good!’ I was so heavy and the beginning of the bike, like always, was super hard. I was actually super, super tired after all of the travels and the many races I needed to do, so this race was just for fun and I think I didn't really expect to have another good race.”
“I have so many amazing memories from that race and also that was the race that I finally saw my coach and teammates after a few months of racing and chasing my Olympic dreams, so it was just amazing to share these moments with people that helped me to achieve it.”
From there, Slupek showed few signs of slowing and in Paris she went even better still, logging a remarkable 13th place at the Games. A month later, she became the World University champion on home soil in Gdansk. Thus, in stark contrast to the darkest days of 2023, Slupek is moving forwards towards a bright future.
Having learned all she could from the Olympics – noting in particular how other athletes acted and dealt with the stress of the top level – her sights are turning to making an even bigger statement, starting with the WTCS in 2025. She acknowledged that the way ahead is not always simple and linear – a lesson she has epitomised in recent times – but with a brilliant 2024 behind her she is already focused on what comes next.
“So that's the answer for my goal for next year,” she concluded when considering the Series. “I would like to consistently be at that high level, and I hope to achieve another dream.”
