A new member has joined the Iberia Talento a bordo Team: Marcus Cooper. This canoeist, who won a gold in Rio and silver in Tokyo, is a firm favourite to be the flag bearer of the Spanish delegation at the Paris Games. “Pride, passion, and emotion” are the words on the tip of his tongue when we ask him about it. Whether he carries the flag or not, his main goal is to add two medals to his track record and, to achieve this, he trusts in the small (but mighty) details.
If Marcus Cooper (Oxford, 1994) has become one of the best canoeists in the world, it’s because he leaves no part of his prep to chance. “My secret to success is to take care of every detail —Marcus reveals—. For me, training lasts 24 hours and also affects habits like diet or rest. It’s in these details that I try to get an advantage over my rivals.” The Paris Games will start on the 26th of July, but for the meticulous and methodical Marcus, it’s as if they had already begun. “Time flies and Paris is around the corner. I’m really excited for these upcoming months because I know that in no time, I’ll be giving my all. From day 1 of the season, I’m in the thick of the race. I enjoy working like this,” he declares.
After winning gold in Rio (K1 1000) during his first Games and silver in Tokyo (K4 500) alongside Saúl Craviotto, Carlos Arévalo, and Rodrigo Germade, Marcus is dreaming big. “For Paris, I’ve set myself the biggest goal in my life: fighting for medals in two categories instead of one. My way of staying motivated is to challenge myself, I try to find my limits,” he confesses. Marcus’ track record makes him one of the main candidates to be the Spanish flag bearer during the opening ceremony, which on this occasion will be held onboard boats along the Seine River. “It’s hard to explain what it would mean to me to bear the flag of my country and wave it has high as possible, but I’d use words like, pride, passion, and emotion,” he confirms.
“For Paris, I’ve set myself the biggest goal in my life: fighting for medals in two categories instead of one”
Born to a British father and a German mother, Marcus grew up in Mallorca and has represented Spain since day 1. “I started practicing canoeing when I was 12 at a small club in Mallorca. I’ve always loved the water. I tried several sports beforehand, but canoeing suited me well because it was really physically demanding. At the beginning it was just a summer pastime, but then I discovered the competitive side and I soon wanted to be a part of it. I was hooked from the very first day,” the canoeist remembers. That was in 2006. Just eight years later, in 2014, Marcus won his first championship medal at the World Championships in Moscow with a bronze medal. Then came more World Championship medals, three golds and four silvers, alongside two European golds and one silver, rounding off a spectacular track record.
Marcus Cooper is a double medallist in canoeing.
Welcome in Paris!
Marcus Cooper has joined the Iberia Talento a bordo Team and on the 13th of January he had the chance to meet his teammates during a trip to Paris. “This trip with the members on the team was nice and intense —Marcus celebrates—. I’ve sensed a lot of excitement and ambition for Paris. They are titans and, even though they already have a great track record, they still have a lot to achieve.” Marcus knows the other canoeist in the group well, Antía Jácome, and believes that his discipline will shine bright at the Games: “I think canoeing is going to succeed thanks to people like Antía, who’s a prodigy. She’s going to surprise us all and we’ll be the king of sports again.” In fact, canoeing, which currently boasts 20 medals, could surpass sailing (21) as the discipline that has brought Spanish sport the most joy at the Games.
“Talent is when someone, after getting to know oneself, and being aware of their virtues and defects, can be the best version of themselves”
Did traveling to Paris allow you to unplug from canoeing?, we ask him. “I don’t feel like I need to unplug because I enjoy what I do —Marcus replies—. I like being connected to what I’m passionate about all the time.” Beyond sport, Marcus’ other great passion is entrepreneurship. “It makes me happy to see people around me enjoying sports, motivating them to be more active, more in tune with themselves, healthier, both mentally and physically... This is why, when I’m not in my canoe, I throw myself into my personal project: Plan Cooper. My goal is to offer society a tool that brings together training, psychology, and nutrition, the three foundations of my success,” he explains. Before saying goodbye, we ask him about his opinion on talent. “Talent is when someone, after getting to know oneself, and being aware of their virtues and defects, can be the best version of themselves,” he assures us. Marcus’ best version is yet to come, and we’ll see it in Paris.
