Zuzana Paňková (born 25 November 2004) is a Slovak slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2019.[1]

Zuzana Paňková
Paňková at the 2022 World Championships
Personal information
Born (2004-11-25) 25 November 2004 (age 21)
Košice, Slovakia
Height157 cm (5 ft 2 in)
Weight53 kg (117 lb)
Sport
Country Slovakia
SportCanoe slalom
EventC1, K1, Kayak cross
ClubTJ Slávia UVLF Košice
Medal record
Women's canoe slalom
Representing  Slovakia
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2021 IvreaC1 team
Gold medal – first place2022 Liptovský MikulášC1 team
Silver medal – second place2024 TacenK1
Bronze medal – third place2025 Vaires-sur-MarneK1
U23 World Championships
Gold medal – first place2025 FoixKayak cross individual
Silver medal – second place2025 FoixC1
U23 European Championships
Silver medal – second place2023 BratislavaC1
Silver medal – second place2023 BratislavaKayak cross
Silver medal – second place2023 BratislavaC1 team
Silver medal – second place2023 BratislavaK1 team
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place2022 IvreaC1
Silver medal – second place2019 KrakówC1 team
Silver medal – second place2022 IvreaKayak cross
Silver medal – second place2022 IvreaK1 team
Bronze medal – third place2021 TacenK1
Bronze medal – third place2021 TacenC1 team
Bronze medal – third place2022 IvreaC1 team
Junior European Championships
Gold medal – first place2021 SolkanC1
Gold medal – first place2021 SolkanK1
Gold medal – first place2021 SolkanK1 team
Bronze medal – third place2021 SolkanKayak cross
Bronze medal – third place2019 Liptovský MikulášC1 team
Bronze medal – third place2019 Liptovský MikulášK1 team

She represented Slovakia at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Career

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Paňková won four medals (2 golds, 1 silver and 1 bronze) at the European Championships. She won the first of those medals at the age of 16. She won her first world cup medal in 2022 in Pau at the age of 17. She won the only individual medal for Slovakia at the 2024 European Canoe Slalom Championships in Tacen, Slovenia by finishing second in K1.[2]

Paňková qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in C1 after reaching the final round at 2023 World Cup race in Vaires-sur-Marne.[3]

She made her Olympic debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, finishing 4th in the C1 event and 35th in kayak cross.

Paňková finished 15th in the overall standings of the C1 event in the 2022 Canoe Slalom World Cup, 5th in 2023 and 2nd 2025.

Paňková has won medals across all three disciplines (canoe, kayak and kayak cross) at the junior and under 23 level. She contributed to 4 out of 5 medals won by Slovakia at the 2023 European Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom Championships in Bratislava, winning silver medals in C1, C1 team, K1 team and Kayak cross.[4]

Her first kayak was originally owned by the Olympic gold medalist Elena Kaliská.[5]

Career statistics

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Major championships results timeline

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Event 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Olympic Games C1 Not held 4 Not held
Kayak cross Not held 35 Not held
World Championships C1 18 18 8 Not held 6
K1 28 Not held 8
Kayak cross 14 19 Not held 22
Kayak cross individual Not held 18
C1 team 5 6 5 Not held 4
K1 team 5 Not held 10
European Championships C1 19 12 5[a] 19 8
K1 25 2 3
Kayak cross 16 10[a] NQ NQ
Kayak cross individual Not held 26 34
C1 team 1 1 6[a] 6 6
K1 team 7 7 9
  1. 1 2 3 2023 European Games

World Cup individual podiums

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Season Date Venue Position Event
202228 August 2022Pau2ndC1
202528 June 2025Prague1stC1
20265 June 2026Prague3rdK1

References

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