After a three-week break, the Whites and Reds and the rest of the Europeans resume the race for the stake. January’s European Championships in Gdańsk showed that the Polish team, supported by PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, has a lot of potential and there are people to build the future on. The title of vice-champion of the Old Continent in the 500 meters was defended by Natalia Maliszewska, the bronze was won by the men’s relay, and the women’s four was also close to the podium. At 500 meters Nikola Mazur scored his first A final at the European Championships and Łukasz Kuczyński won the B final at this distance.
– Each competition teaches something and with each departure we take something for the future. There are always good times and bad times in the process. On a good day, you’ll make fewer mistakes and you can win a medal. In general, I rate the participation in the European Championships as a successful start, although it was not always possible to avoid these mistakes – explains Urszula Kamińska, the coach of the Polish national team in short track.
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The return to World Cup competition will take place in Dresden, which returns to the schedule for this series after a three-year break. During the weekend in this city, two medals of the junior world championships – gold in the 500 meters and bronze in the 1000 meters (he set a new senior national record in this distance) – were won by Michał Niewiński , who also set the best time of all time. in this age category over 1500 meters.
– We spent many weeks in Dresden during the pre-Olympic season. We left a lot of heart and sweat there, but they were also great training moments. After Michał’s recent successes, we associate this room even better – describes Kamińska.
This is not the end of the beautiful Polish memories linked to the capital of Saxony. Almost exactly four years ago, in 2019, Maliszewska won her ninth career cup medal in the 500 meters, ultimately becoming the cycle winner in that distance. Now the 27-year-old from Juvenia Białystok is set to repeat that success. Currently, Maliszewska is the World Cup leader in the 500 meters with 346 points, and she is 72 points ahead of second-placed Yara van Kerkhof of the Netherlands.
– First of all, I wish good health to Natalia, because the last few weeks have been very far from ideal for her. It is still followed by uncured infections, but we will do everything in our power to fight to retain the lead in the general classification – assures the manager of the white and red team.
The start of the three-day World Cup in Dresden on Friday February 3. Broadcast of all competition days on YouTube, on the Skating ISU channel. Selected race reports on Polsat sports channels.
Press release
Go to Polsatsport.pl
