Natasa Dusev-Janics

Natasa Dusev-Janics (Nataša Dušev-Janić, Наташа Душев-Јанић; born 24 June 1982) is a Yugoslavian-Hungarian sprint canoer who has competed for Hungary since 2001 and has won six Olympic medals in the sprint canoe events.

Early life
Natasa grew up in Serbia and competed for FR Yugoslavia at the 2000 Summer Olympics before moving to Hungary. She is a daughter of Milan Janić (1957-2003), a Serbian canoer who won a silver medal for Yugoslavia in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Both her brothers, Mićo and Stjepan Janić, are canoers and have competed for Croatia since 2004. They took part in the 2008 Olympics, though Mićo was only nominated as a reserve.

Career
Janics won two Olympic gold medals in the sprint canoe events at the 2004 Summer Olympics, another gold and silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and silver and bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She has also won 26 medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with 20 golds (K-1 200 m: 2007, 2009, 2010; K-2 200 m: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010; K-2 500 m: 2005, 2006; K-2 1000 m: 2005, 2006; K-4 200 m: 2002, 2003, 2006; K-4 500 m: 2006, 2009, 2010; K-4 1000 m: 2003, 2006; K-1 200 m relay: 2013) and six silvers (K-1 500 m: 2010, K-1 4 × 200 m: 2009, 2010; K-2 200 m: 2015; K-2 500 m: 2013; K-4 200 m: 2009).

She was elected Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year in 2004 and 2010. Together with Katalin Kovács she earned the title Hungarian Sportsteam of the year in 2005, 2006 and 2010.

On 4 October 2012 it was revealed that she made a decision to return and compete under the flag of her native country, Serbia. On 9 March 2013 she informed the Hungarian Canoe Federation in a letter about changing her mind and her wish to compete for Hungary during her professional career.

She's been suffering from a herniated disc in her neck since 2012; in 2019 she has stated that it's reached a point where she is considering retirement.

Awards

 * Yugoslav Young Athlete of the Year: 2000
 * Hungarian kayaker of the Year (4): 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010
 * Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year (2) - votes of sports journalists: 2004, 2010
 * Hungarian Athlete of the Year (1) - the National Sports Association (NSSZ) awards: 2004
 * Person of the Year by Magyar Szó: 2004
 * Member of the Hungarian team of year (with Katalin Kovács): 2005, 2006, 2010
 * Príma Primissima award (2006)
 * Pro Universitate (2008)


 * Orders and special awards
 * HUN Order of Merit of the Hungarian Rep (civil) 4class BAR.svg Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary – Officer's Cross (2004)
 * HUN Order of Merit of the Hungarian Rep (civil) 3class BAR.svg Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary – Commander's Cross (2008)
 * HUN Order of Merit of the Hungarian Rep (civil) 2class BAR.svg Order of Merit of Hungary – Commander's Cross with Star (2012)