These were the World University Championships, held last week near Olomouc (Czech Republic). Just a year ago, Małgorzata Szeliga represented our country at the Junior World Championships (seventh place in the relay), and this year she is already competing in the women’s elite category—and so effectively that she was selected for the team representing Poland at the World University Championships.
“She may not have achieved spectacular success there, but 34th place in the sprint (the best result among the Polish women) and 39th place in the middle-distance race are nothing to be ashamed of, especially among approximately 100 competitors. They should be considered respectable,” says Dariusz Pachnik, the athlete’s coach.
The relay looked set to end in embarrassment after the first leg, when the team’s apparent strongest link, Paulina Faron (Wawel Kraków), lost nine minutes to the leading Swedish team and came in 31st. Małgorzata ran the second leg and… moved our team into the second ten. Ewa Gwóźdź (Orientuś Łódź) ran even better on the third leg, and the team ultimately finished in a respectable tenth place.
The participation of the Raciborowice resident in the championships was made possible by her university, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, funding her participation in the event. Both she and her coach, Dariusz Pachnik, express their gratitude for this.
Dariusz Pachnik/ii