| Zuzana Paňková | |
| Nationality: | Slovak |
| Birth Date: | 25 November 2004 |
| Birth Place: | Košice, Slovakia |
| Sport: | Canoe slalom |
| Event: | C1, K1, Kayak cross |
| Show-Medals: | yes |
Zuzana Paňková (born 25 November 2004) is a Slovak slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2019.[1]
She won three medals (2 golds and 1 silver) 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.
Paňková has won medals across all three disciplines (canoe, kayak and kayak cross) in 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.[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] Her Olympic debut saw her reach the finals and finish at the fourth place.
Paňková finished 15th in the overall standings of the 2022 Canoe Slalom World Cup in C1 and 5th in 2023.
Paňková won the only individual medal for Slovakia at the 2024 European Canoe Slalom Championships in Tacen, Slovenia by finishing second in K1.[4]
Her first kayak was originally owned by the Olympic gold medalist Elena Kaliská.[5]
| Event | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | C1 | — | Not held | 4 | |
| World Championships | C1 | 18 | 18 | 8 | Not held |
| K1 | — | 28 | — | Not held | |
| Kayak cross | — | 14 | 19 | Not held | |
| C1 team | 5 | 6 | 5 | Not held | |
| K1 team | — | 5 | — | Not held | |
| European Championships | C1 | 19 | 12 | 5 | 19 |
| K1 | — | 25 | — | 2 | |
| Kayak cross | — | 16 | 10 | NQ | |
| Kayak cross individual | Not held | 26 | |||
| C1 team | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |
| K1 team | — | 7 | — | 7 | |