Bachelor's in marine biology, Master's in paddling: Ecker on balancing two full-time jobs

While not on a kayak, you can find Jonas Ecker doing cross-training. Sometimes on a cycle, sometimes Nordic skiing. On special occasions, you can find him glued to a chair with his eagle eyes on an embroidery set. Some valuable downtime is what most high-performance athletes crave after the hustle and bustle of an Olympic year and Ecker was no different. “It's something I can do relaxing. If you're doing some recovery or just sitting around, it's a fun way to be creative while not worrying about hurting yourself. It's just entertaining,” he said. The Canoe Sprint star made his Games debut at Paris 2024 with teammate Aaron Small , finishing eighth in the men's kayak double 500m. Ecker also competed in the kayak single 1000m, but the 22-year-old still pinches himself looking back at the years that led to that moment. “Last year was incredible. To go from 2022, just dreaming about or being my first-year racing at the senior level to then realising that Paris was the next goal. To go through the qualification process, getting a spot in early 2024 and being able to race was a whirlwind,” he said. “My partner came with my family to Paris along with six friends from high school. They were my friends when I started paddling and have followed my paddling career throughout. Before I even qualified, they had bought tickets to the events that I hypothetically could be racing on in Paris. Thankfully, we qualified and they got to use their tickets. That was special.” Despite having little time away from a kayak, the energy of the Bellingham native is contagious. Back in training in the late winter, Ecker has been burning the midnight oil, and he was rewarded earlier this month by making the US team again. Introduced to kayaking at age nine by his mother — herself a Canoe Ocean Racing enthusiast — Ecker quickly found his stride. “We trained sprint during the week and then went surf skiing or ocean racing on the weekends. It's interesting because we started paddling at the same...

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