01 / ABOUT ME
SPORT. PRESSURE.
EXPERIENCE.
Two-time Olympian. Coach. Mentor.
04 About me
ATHLETE / COACH / MENTOR
FROM SPORT.
FOR ATHLETES.
I’m Natalia Pacierpnik — a two-time Olympian, World and European Championship medallist in canoe slalom, sports coach, athlete mentor and mental performance coach.
For nearly 25 years, I experienced sport as an athlete — from my first training sessions in Drzewica, through representing Poland, to an Olympic final. For almost two decades, I competed for Poland in women’s K1 at the leading international events.
Today, I combine that experience with coaching and individual support for athletes. I look at training, responses to pressure, decisions, relationships, the sporting environment and competition preparation. A result is important information, but it does not always reveal the source of a problem.
I help athletes understand themselves better, make more confident decisions and perform more effectively under pressure. I want them to understand their training, take responsibility for it and keep their enjoyment of sport.
Academic education
University Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Bronisława Czecha w Krakowie — the University of Physical Education in Kraków
Field of study Tourism and recreation
Specialisation Spa and wellness centre management
Coaching qualifications
- Class II canoe slalom coach
- Personal trainer
Experience I have experience coaching children, young people and athletes competing internationally. This also includes individual mental performance preparation for athletes.
Courses and professional development
- Sports management and marketing in the sports industry
- Sports nutrition and supplementation
- Psychology and coaching in sport
Course assignment I wrote my own analysis, “Coach–athlete relationships through the example of canoe slalom”.
Sporting
experience.
WOMEN’S K1 / REPRESENTING POLAND
2012 / 2016
Two Olympic Games
7th place in the Olympic final in London in 2012 and 11th place at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016.
2021 / 2022
Two individual World Cup silvers
Prague 2021 and Pau 2022 — two silver medals in individual World Cup competition.
2022
World Championship bronze
Bronze in the K1 team event at the World Championships — Augsburg 2022.
K1 TEAM
Three European Championship medals
Two silver medals and one bronze in the K1 team event at the European Championships.
2023
4th place at the European Games
4th place at the Kraków–Małopolska 2023 European Games.
11 TITLES
Polish senior national champion
11 Polish senior national titles in individual events.
2024
Masters World Championship silver
Silver at the Masters World Championships — Kraków 2024.
Competing at the highest level taught me to operate in conditions where pressure, preparation and the quality of split-second decisions determine the result.
Clubs and
young athletes.
DRZEWICA / KRAKÓW
WHERE IT BEGAN
LKK Drzewica
I started my sporting journey at Ludowy Klub Kajakowy Drzewica. It was there that I began training, developed my technical foundations and set out on the path to representing Poland and competing at two Olympic Games.
2007–2024
Athlete at Kraków Canoe Club
I represented Krakowski Klub Kajakowy as an athlete from 2007 to 2024. During this time, I won medals at the Polish Championships, World Cups, European Championships and World Championships.
JANUARY–AUGUST 2024
Coaching at Kraków Canoe Club
I coached a group of around ten athletes of different ages and sporting levels. They won several dozen medals, including at the Polish Youth Championships and five rounds of the Youth League. My coaching focused on competition preparation, understanding training, independent thinking, responsibility and maintaining enjoyment of sport.
International
coaching.
TRAINING / COMPETITION / ORGANISATION
PRAGUE / 2026
ICF Development Camps
Working with athletes and coaches from different countries at the ICF Development Camps during the senior World Cup in Prague in 2026.
JUNIOR & U23 WORLDS / 2026
Coaching a group and supporting Team USA
Coaching a group of paddlers and supporting the USA national team during the Junior and U23 World Championships in 2026.
ÉPINAL / 2026
Team Leader and Head Coach
Serving as Team Leader and Head Coach at the Junior and U23 European Championships in Épinal in 2026.
EUROPE / 2026
ECA training camps and competitions
Taking part in ECA training camps and competitions for junior and U23 athletes across Europe in 2026.
KRAKÓW / 2026
Paddle Europe Development Camps
Working as Head Coach at the Paddle Europe Development Camps in Kraków in 2026.
I bring my competitive experience into coaching and organisational work. Working across different sporting cultures has taught me to recognise athletes’ needs quickly, communicate precisely and adapt my approach to each situation.
YOUR NEXT MOVE