Darek OborskiDarek Oborski was born in Poland where he began kayaking at the age of 12.
He raced nationally and internationally, winning two silver medals at the Junior World Championships in 1999.
The following year he made the Polish senior national team and came in third at the Polish Nationals, he went on to race in the European Championships in Milan, Italy. As part of the Polish national team he competed in multiple international regattas.
In 2002 Darek trained at the Lanier Canoe Kayak Club in Gainsville, Georgia-host to the kayak and canoe events during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. During his time in Gainsville, Darek participated in the US Nationals winning a total of 8 medals.
Darek then returned to Poland and made the Polish Olympic team, and in 2003 he participated in the pre-Olympic regatta in Athens.
In 2006 Darek filled in as coach at Ridge Canoe Club in British Columbia.
Darek moved to the Washington Canoe Club in April of 2007 where is he currently the head coach. He trains athletes of all ages and has successfully placed athletes in the Pan American Games and the Junior World Championships.
Darek is fluent in English and Polish and he has a Master's degree in Physical Education from Academia of Physical Education in Poznan, Poland. He is a trained lifeguard and certified swimming instructor.
About Sprint Kayak:
Flatwater sprint is a sport about sheer speed and power. It is a sporting competition that in simplest terms, involves an individual or team paddling a boat (canoe or kayak) as fast as they can. Paddlers compete head to head on a straight course, in separate lanes, and over three different distances: 200m, 500m and 1000m. Paddlers race individual boats as well as team boats in pairs or groups of four. Periodically, longer races may also occur which usually involve competitors doing "loops" of a set distance; thereby eliminating lanes.
Canoe/Kayak Flatwater was first included in the Olympic Games, as a men's sport, at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. Women's events were included shortly thereafter and made their first appearance at the 1948 Olympic Games.