RSU athletes gain international experience at FISU World University Canoeing Championship

From 17 to 20 August, the 2026 FISU World University Championships Canoe Sports took place in Szeged, Hungary, where two athletes from Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU), Rihards Prūsis and Dominika Helga Sikorska, competed alongside student athletes from around the world. 

They competed individually in the K-1 200 m and 500 m events and together in the mixed K-2 500 m event.

Rihards Prūsis finished 18th in the K-1 200 m and 17th in the K-1 500 m. Dominika Helga Sikorska finished 14th in the K-1 200 m and 17th in the K-1 500 m. Together, the RSU athletes finished 12th in the mixed K-2 500 m.

Under the championship format, athletes from all participating countries first competed in preliminary heats. The best advanced to the semi-finals, with the three fastest from each semi-final progressing to the final. The nine best athletes or crews then competed for the top places, making qualification for each successive round highly competitive.

The weather presented an additional challenge, with temperatures reaching 38 °C during the competition.

‘The trip itself was really great – I had the opportunity to represent RSU at an international competition, experience the atmosphere of the championship and meet athletes from different countries. Competing in 38 °C heat will definitely stay in my memory because it was a completely new experience for me,’ says Rihards Prūsis.

Dominika also considers her participation in the championship a valuable experience for her further development as an athlete.

‘The FISU World University Championships Canoe Sports was a very valuable experience for me, both physically and mentally. Competing in 38 °C heat was a major challenge because I had never experienced such extreme conditions before, but overall I really enjoyed the competition and gained a lot of new experience. Although the result was not what I had hoped for, I am very grateful to RSU for this opportunity and have gained additional motivation to keep working,’ says Dominika Helga Sikorska.

Participation in the FISU World University Championships gave both RSU athletes an opportunity to test themselves against international competition, represent the university on the world stage in university sport and gain valuable experience for future competitions.