The Lower Silesian Junior and U18 Athletics Championships took place on Saturday, 17 May, in Bogatynia. Bolesłavia’s female and male athletes won 26 medals, including 15 gold and 5 silver.
Piercing cold and incessant rain were not conducive to achieving good results. That is why special recognition is due to coach Bartosza Grumana Amelia Kołodziej, who won the high jump gold medal while also improving her personal best (160 cm). The athlete also won silver in the triple jump (9.14). Bartosz Gruman also coaches Damiana Gradzika, who won gold in the pole vault (3.20) and silver in the high jump (185 cm).
Recognition is also due to Maciej Goss. The athlete coached by Małgorzata Markowska won the 400 m hurdles with a result just three hundredths of a second slower than his personal best, which is a major achievement in these conditions (54.53).
Małgorzata Markowska’s other athletes also did not disappoint:
- Dominika Kamińska – gold in the 3 km race (10:42.43 s)
- Ewa Ochocka – gold in the 400 m hurdles (61.19 s)
- Robert Polański – silver in the 400 m hurdles (63.79 s)
- Monika Chmielik – silver in the 100 m hurdles (15.86)
- Barbara Busłowicz – bronze in the triple jump (8.77 m).
The 1500 m race was spectacular, with Wojciech Karaban producing a superb finish, winning decisively and setting a new personal best (4:17.97 s).
The main event of the championships was to be the 3 km race, in which this year’s Polish junior cross-country champion Bartosz Wróbel (an athlete coached by Małgorzata Markowska) was to face Polish U18 cross-country champion Mateusz Kaczor. The Bolesłavia athlete was supposed to help his younger teammate achieve a result qualifying him for the Youth Olympic Games qualification (8:20.00). The race took place in heavy rain, and although both athletes tried their best, unfortunately they failed to achieve the qualifying standard. Bartek nevertheless won decisively and took the gold medal (8:37.07 s).
“In these conditions, it really wasn’t possible to run faster. We both tried very hard and I wanted to help Mateusz, but the weather conditions in which the race was held did not allow us to achieve a result that would satisfy us. Despite the victory, I am not happy with the race,” said Bartosz Wróbel.
The Bolesłavia athlete confirmed that, besides being a very good runner, he is also a wonderful teammate whom younger runners can only emulate.
As usual, the athletes coached by Tomasza Markowskiego did not disappoint, although the weather conditions were particularly unfavorable for improving personal records. The following won their events in their respective age categories:
- Michał Bis – javelin throw (43.80 m)
- Dawid Kopała – discus throw (34.77 m) and hammer throw (59.81 m)
- Kacper Olszewski – shot put (16.53 m) and discus throw (43.13 m)
- Monika Sandak – javelin throw (41.64 m) and discus throw (31.68 m)
- Wojciech Kutryba – hammer throw (47.67 m).
Silver was won by Karolina Mrozik – hammer throw (33.60 m), while bronze medals went to Eryka Baran – javelin throw (33.42 m) and Szymon Laudański – javelin throw (41.38 m).
Among the athletes coached by Ryszarda Posackiego, Maciej Buciak placed third in the 100 m (11.65 s) and 200 m (23.69 s), while Katarzyna Sadlak placed third in the triple jump (9.08 m).
Bolesłavia’s athletes now face an important competition next Friday in Słubice, where the first round of the Junior League will be held.
(information: Dariusz Łomański/ii)