Kitesurfer Leonie Meyer: On the wave to Paris
Created: 10/27/2022, 1:35 p.m
By: Nico-Marius Schmitz
Germany's kitesurfing hope: Leonie Meyer.
© Photo: private
Leonie Meyer is a medical student, mother and competitive athlete.
From the van she studied for the second state exam, breastfed her son Levi and prepared for competitions.
Everything for the big dream: the 2024 Olympic Games.
Munich – Actually, everything should be completely different.
It was always in Leonie Meyer's mind that she would only be able to start planning a family in 2024, after the Olympic Games.
But during the pandemic, Meyer thought a lot, talking to her partner, friends and family.
And came to the conclusion: Being a mom and being an athlete will work!
Son Levi was born in May last year.
Last year in October, Meyer completed her second state examination in medical studies.
And all this alongside a career as a professional kitesurfer.
How is this supposed to work?
When our newspaper caught the 29-year-old on the phone, she was just on her way back from the World Cup in Cagliari, Italy.
Shortly before the World Cup, Meyer was "struck down" by the corona virus, but he still managed to finish ninth.
And how do you manage to reconcile studies, children and competitive sports?
"I did the pregnancy through strength training to keep fit," says Meyer.
"I started studying for the exam earlier and preferred internships."
There were more complications after Levi's birth than Meyer had anticipated.
For the first two weeks she could not stand for more than five minutes.
After last year's European Championships, she had to have another operation: "That really threw me back.
You're handed to the back first and you have to fight your way back."
For the second state examination in medicine, there is a 100-day, eight-hour curriculum.
Meyer worked through the weekends.
She can count on two hands how many days she finished studying before midnight.
“The good thing about babies is that they sleep a lot.
At least during the day,” says Meyer with a grin: “I was breastfeeding and had the iPad in my hand to continue learning.
That was great for our bond.
Levi slept on me and on me a lot.”
Meyer's big dream is the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Kitesurfing celebrates its premiere there.
The woman from Kiel had already prepared for the Olympics once before.
From 2012 to 2016, at that time still in 49er sailing, but did not qualify for the Rio Games.
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Now the next attempt in a sport that is spectacular, but also dangerous.
Kitesurfing reaches speeds of over 60 km/h: “The speeds are mega.
But you are always at the limit.
And the falls are getting worse from season to season.”
In addition, kitesurfing in Germany is not as important as in other countries.
The German association does not even have a national coach at the moment.
For example, the British team can focus on the sport full-time.
This is unthinkable for Meyer, without the help of the North German Regatta Club she could not do it all.
"I was just able to finance the current year with a bang." Meyer hopes that she will have squad status again next year, then there will be 700 euros a month from Deutsche Sporthilfe and "life will then be easier again."
Meyer rarely sleeps at home, she spends three quarters of the year in her van and has a cooperation with VanTourer.
This saves money and makes traveling to competitions or training spots more flexible.
But now the van is exchanged for the plane.
Son Levi has a rare lower leg malformation and will have to be operated on twice by a specialist in America in November.
The family stays in the States for four months.
"We'll make the best of our time in Florida," says Meyer: "And I'll continue to give everything to make my dream of Paris come true."
By Nico Marius Schmitz
