Austria's kitesurf star Bontus: From Perchtoldsdorf to Olympic Gold

Austria's kitesurf star Bontus: From Perchtoldsdorf to Olympic Gold

Valentin Bontus, the kitesurfer from Austria, experienced a remarkable advancement with his Olympic gold and the award for athlete in 2024. In the conversation he describes the surprising twists of his career and looks optimistically into the future.

"It is completely crazy and I can't quite believe that I am now athlete of the year. Stefan Kraft was often the favorite, but this time I'm!" so bontus. His next goals are obvious: at the 2028 Olympics in 2028, he would like to fight for medals again and maybe achieve the world championship title in kitesurfing.

kitesurf as a competitive sport

During the Olympic Games in Paris, Bontus was not initially planned as a gold candidate, but in the semi -final he felt the crucial moment: "I won every race after I had to win to get on." He describes this type of pressure and the ability to use the moment as key moments on the way to his success.

"Sometimes there is this flow state, in which everything succeeds.

As Bontus himself explains, hardly anyone knows kitesurfing in Austria, and that's why he sees himself as a pioneer for this sport in his home country: "I think it's great to be part of this story." The skill and technology that are necessary for kitesurfing requires high physical fitness and bontus that the training on land is as important as training on the water.

"To be quick, it is important that I work like an athlete. In addition, my muscles have to be well trained to avoid injuries," he explains. A real kitesurfer would be even with a normal figure Keyword and have a passion for water sports.

The first steps in kitesurfing he took him through his father, who brought him into contact with sport early. "I was on the road a lot in water in my childhood - I did not do my first experience at Lake Neusiedl, but on vacation in Greece and Italy," he says.

Bontus lives in Austria, but also has an apartment with his girlfriend in Garmisch, Bavaria. He initially financed his international competition until the sailing association supported him three years ago. Despite his Olympic victory, the financial means are still limited by kitesurfing: "I did not start to get rich. The passion is the most important thing," he adds.

When asked what he was going to do after the sports career, Bontus is open to everything. "I could work as a paramedic or get into my parents' hotel business. Maybe I will also study economy, but at the moment I have no plans for it," said Bontus, who is only 23 years old. With such a clear goal, it remains to be seen what his next steps will be.

The development of kitesurfing and Bontus' performance at the Olympic Games show an important step in establishing this sport in Austria. "Kitesurfing could establish itself as a serious competitive sport if we further expand the base," he believes. This could cause more athletes to take the way through this spectacular sport in the future.

In order to learn more about Bontus and his goals in the sports world, interested readers can be fully reported on www.noen.at