Soldiers of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade (10BKPanc) have accustomed us to the idea that they have no equal in sport. Every discipline – both military and civilian – is adorned with trophies in gold, silver and bronze.
Among the winners is also Platoon Sergeant Joanna Świątkiewicz, who has achieved several significant successes in Thai boxing over the past two years. Last year, she won a gold medal at the IFMA Polish Muay Thai Championships. Earlier, she appeared at a combat sports gala at Huxleys Neue Welt in Berlin and, although it was her debut at a competition of this class, she defeated Germany’s Caroline Abe without losing a single point. The platoon sergeant trains at the Żary Combat Sports Club.
At the beginning of this week, Platoon Sergeant Joanna Świątkiewicz, together with 11 other Polish representatives, took part in the K-1, Thaiboxing and MMA World Cup of the World Karate Federation, held in the Croatian town of Varaždin. Another soldier from Świętoszów, Senior Private Dominik Zadora, a gunner with the 2nd Mechanized Company of the 10BKPanc mechanized battalion, also competed.
Private Zadora is also a highly decorated athlete. He has won the Polish Cup and the World Cup in his main discipline, Muay Thai, and in 2009 he was called up to the Polish national team and took part in the Muay Thai World Championships in Thailand. He trains daily at the Bolesławiec Muay Thai Club.
In Varaždin, Platoon Sergeant Joanna Świątkiewicz and Senior Private Dominik Zadora won gold cups in their respective categories. Asked about her impressions after the fight, Platoon Sergeant Świątkiewicz said: “It wasn’t easy. I fought the final against a Croatian woman who was taller and, above all, heavier than me. She really wanted to win. For a Croatian, defeating a Pole is like a double victory. That makes me even happier about this win.”
Training before championships means intensified and strenuous work. It also means hours spent in the gym and in the ring. Therefore, in addition to thanking her trainers, the fighter wants to thank one more person: “Preparing for the World Cup would not have been possible if the commander of my subunit, the anti-aircraft squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Nikonowicz had not agreed to let me train during the squadron’s exercise in Ustka. I am very grateful to him for that.”
“Asia is a very modest girl,” says her trainer, Dawid Polok. “She is the club’s leading athlete, but she also runs a muay thai section for women and is an assistant trainer in the beginners’ and advanced sections. Soon she will take examinations to become an examiner for the Polish Muay Thai Association. She is an ambitious and persistent girl, but also warm and big-hearted.”
“Ordinary, nice and friendly. A great girl,” says the platoon sergeant’s colleague from her subunit, Senior Private Karolina Tur. “The only thing that distinguishes her from other female colleagues is that when some rude boys once accosted me, Joasia effectively stood up for me. In situations like that, having such a colleague is a double benefit.”
Senior Private Dominik Zadora has been fighting for many years, and he has been fascinated by muay thai since childhood. He has trained in the discipline since 2005, and his trainer is his father, Tomasz Zadora. Dominik initially trained to stay fit. In 2008, he won two tournaments for beginners, and that was when he began thinking about testing himself at a higher level. He therefore entered the Polish championships and unexpectedly won.
Choosing just one discipline was not easy. Dominik also trained in taekwondo and football, among other sports. After winning the Polish Cup, he focused solely on muay thai – the most versatile fighting style, close to street fighting. “This style is a very good school of character; it requires great perseverance and self-discipline to keep coming to training and wanting to improve despite injuries and trauma,” said Tomasz Zadora, who has trained in various martial arts for more than 20 years.
In 2009, Dominik suffered a serious knee injury, which he treated for more than six months, but he returned to training and immediately achieved a victory. This year he has already fought twice, winning both bouts. One was against Patryk Rajski during the A1 league in Kalisz, which he won on points, and the other took place in Ostrava, Czech Republic, during the Battle of Futurum 3 Gala, where he won by knockout in the 30th second of the bout. The World Cup is the third trophy he has won this year, but certainly the most important of his entire sporting career.
“For a month before competitions, I train six days a week,” Private Zadora said modestly. “The competition in Varaždin was very well organized and had a wonderful atmosphere. The athletes’ level was high. I fought a Croatian in the final. He was a very strong and demanding opponent. The fight was very close.”
Joanna and Dominik face further challenges. Platoon Sergeant Świątkiewicz will soon face a competitor from the Netherlands. Private Zadora has a week of rest ahead of him. In May, he will take part in the K-1 European Championships, which will be held in Moldova.
(information: Katarzyna Przepióra/ii)