The Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver are over. In the general classification Poland landed with six medals on the 14th place: one gold, three silver and two bronze. This is the best result in the history of Polish starts in the Winter Olympic Games. Four of the six Olympic medals have been won for Poland by AZS members.


Unquestionably the biggest star of the Polish team is Justyna Kowalczyk, country skier from AZS AWF Katowice, who won six medals during the Winter Universiades in Innsbruck and Torino. Last year she triumphed in prestige cross country competitions – World Championships in Liberec, Tour de Ski. In Vancouver Justyna showed her class and great talent. She amassed three medals: gold in ladies’ 30 km mass start, silver in sprint and bronze in ladies’ 15 km pursuit. Justyna was very close to the podium (5th place) in ladies’ 15 km. Thanks to her bravery character she was one of the most prominent athletes during the cross country competition.

 

Positive accent for Poland, at the end of the games, was a bronze medal in the ladies speed skating team pursuit. The winning team was composed of two Universiade medallists from Innsbruck, Torino and Harbin – Katarzyna Bachleda-Curus and Luiza Zlotkowska.

 

For other Polish students Vancouver was a good lesson for the future and a great experience in their sport career. Some of them, who participated in the Olympic Games for the first time, took high positions: biathlonist Weronika Nowakowska (AZS AWF Katowice), who achieved bronze medal at the Winter Universiade in Harbin, was 5th in Vancouver in 15 km individual. Ski jumper Kamil Stoch (AZS AWF Krakow Zakopane), who also had his Olympic debut in Vancouver, took a high 6th place in a team competition.

As a very big success for Poland is described the 6th place in cross country ladies’ 4x5 km relay. Last time when Poland reached such a high place in this competition was 40 years ago. The Polish team was composed of three AZS members – Justyna Kowalczyk, Sylwia Jaskowiec and Kornelia Marek.

For attention deserves also young skier Karolina Riemen (AZS AWF Krakow Zakopane). She took 16th place in a new olympic discipline, freestyle skiing. The 16th place is her highest achievement in skicross so far. The success is bigger, if we notice that Karolina underwent recent a knee operation – it means her highest level is still to come.

During the Olympic Games we counted on Tomasz Sikora (AZS AWF Katowice). Biathlonist won seven medals in Winter Universiades in Zakopane, Poprad and one medal during the Olimpic Games in Torino. Unfortunately, Vancouver wasn’t so lucky for him. 7th place in 20 km individual was the biggest success for this talented athlete.