New coaching environment: ready to target scores and records in the next chapter of my career

02.11.2022

New coaching environment: ready to target scores and records in the next chapter of my career

With a view of ameliorating her personal best and potentially chasing these revered records, Nafi has made some radical changes in the off-season. She has parted ways with her long-time coach Roger Lespagnard who guided her to back-to-back Olympic and European titles as well as world titles in the heptathlon in 2017 and 2022.

The 28-year-old has now joined forces with Michael Van der Plaetsen, the brother and coach of 2016 European decathlon champion Thomas Van der Plaetsen.

"I thought about it for a long time, it was a rich collaboration but after 14 years I want to keep learning and evolving. Working in your comfort zone is reassuring, but you evolve as a person and athlete. I wanted to work in a different way at this stage."

2023 may be a year of transition, but Nafi is motivated by the prospect of making further headway up the world all-time list, the 28-year-old is also thinking about the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where she could become the first combined eventer in history – male or female – to win three successive Olympic titles.

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