The World Championships take place at the end of July. Not much is missing and Písečná is without a champion. “Last year, I broke my leg after an accident. And finally, exactly one year later, I was in the championship. At the same time, I just started training in April and in May I went to the Ostrava tower, which I think is a race hardest in Europe. Then it went by itself and I went to the Netherlands,” said Hanzel, 38, who has been a firefighter for 17 years.

As he himself said, the championship in the Netherlands is a gathering of the world’s best firefighters and police officers. It is contested in a number of disciplines. “It reminds me a bit of the Olympics. I was nominated for the championship thanks to my results. I competed in the TFA discipline, we have a similar competition called Beskydy Iron Firefighter. Because of my age, I fall into the category over 35,” continued Jaroslav Hanzel. But he proved to the whole world that age doesn’t matter. He won as an individual in the over 35 category, with the best overall time across the age categories. He won his second gold medal as a member of the Czech team in the relay category, when our representative beat the Brazilian relay team by a long interval.

An interesting fact is that the disciplines that are contested by firefighters in the Netherlands are an entrance test to enter the professional firefighters circles there. But be careful – women have the same test. “The same rules apply for both sexes to enter the ranks of professional firefighters. Those who fail the test are not eligible. And I can say that there are quite a number of firefighters in the Netherlands and they are in very good physical condition,” added the firefighters interestingly.

He really enjoys competition. He adjusts his fitness even at work, where he has built up obstacles. “I do circuit training, I adjust training as needed and according to the races I will be participating in,” explains Hanzel who thinks this sport is mainly about setting in the head. “There are a lot of technical things. When people are cheering for you, you have to be calm and precise to finish everything. Training and experience is important, which you only get in races. That’s why I also ride a lot of local races. Organizers are not happy, because I often win (laughs). But I don’t think so, I want to be an example and role model for other young people, especially since I’m already in the 35 plus category, where there are only a few of us,” Hanzel continued.

And other specifications of the preparation? “I like to train in hot weather. I get used to it, and then when it’s cold to race, I feel comfortable. Otherwise I don’t limit myself in food, I eat what I feel, but I don’t overeat. I put vitamins in my diet. my body so that the muscles and muscles work as they should, because a lot of vitamins are lost with sweat. Therefore, nutrition is a normal thing for athletes, “said Hanzel.

After a successful championship, surprises await him at home. “Unbeknownst to me, my wife and the neighbors had prepared a party in the park. There are drinks, flags, decorations. A lot of neighbors gathered, it was so much fun,” the firefighter said with a smile.