On Friday, August 2, Matej Duša of Team Slovakia competed in the 50-meter freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, marking a significant milestone in his athletic career.
The captain of Queens University of Charlotte’s swimming team has an impressive resume, including holding the current Division II National Record for the men’s 50-yard freestyle and Slovakian national records for the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle.
“It’s definitely been a long journey,” Duša said in Paris, after his event. “I’ve been swimming for 20 years. I can’t really remember when I wasn’t swimming, and it’s always been a goal for me. I really tried hard to make Tokyo, which didn’t work out for me.
“Now I’m incredibly grateful to be able to compete in Paris. It’s been Queens that helped me a lot, along with doing all of the preparation in Slovakia and everything. But it’s a long journey, just very complex.”
His participation not only highlights his personal achievements but also brings attention to Slovakia’s growing presence in the global swimming community.
Larger countries including the United States or Australia host Olympic qualifying meets to select athletes to represent them at the games. Smaller countries often do not follow this process. With a personal best of 22.11-seconds in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2024 World Aquatic Championships in Doha, Qatar, Duša became the fastest male swimmer in Slovakia and a member of the national team.
Dusa’s preparation for Paris was intense, even by extreme standards. A summer of training with the Slovakian club XBS Swimming, which culminated with a World Championship appearance, set him up for an all-out Paris push for 2024. Dusa then joined the Queens swimming sprint group led by Coach Nic Eriksson and Elliot Ptasnik in the fall of 2023, with a regimen of at least eleven weekly training sessions.
All of this was stacked onto NCAA meets, the Toyota US Open, and European Championships. Dusa traveled from the World Swimming Championships in Doha, Qatar, directly to the ASUN Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee, a plan outlined by Eriksson and Dusa. Other stops included Ocala, San Antonio, Spain and Serbia, with training in Charlotte.
In July, Dusa’s final push for the Olympics began with a training trip at the Slovakian Olympic Training Center, accompanied by his brother Ondrej and Eriksson. Ondrej is also a sprint swimmer for Queens. After this schedule, the final stage was set: the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Many swimmers say the Olympics aren’t just a goal – they’re the only goal. The Olympics often create interest among young swimmers, resulting in a long career in competition. The sport draws in significantly less viewership than other sports, both in the United States and abroad, with the Olympics as the sole exception.
For passionate swimming fans, stepping into the Paris La Défense Arena feels like passage into rare air.
“I’m really grateful,” Duša said. “But I also feel like we need to give something back if we can, and I’m trying to push everyone with me… And what I learned is that I need this, that it’s very important on the way to becoming the athlete you want to be.”
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Queens University News Service
