The festival brought together stars of strength sports and combat sports, as well as bodybuilders and newcomers from across Europe. One of the stages hosted armwrestling competitions, attracting both a large number of athletes and spectators, as the discipline enjoys considerable popularity.

Nearly 240 athletes from 21 clubs took part in the national championships, including juniors, seniors, masters and people with disabilities. Our leading athlete, a resident of Bolesławiec County and a member of Steelarm Wrocław, was also among the competitors – Sonia Turzyniecka. Ms Sonia began the 2016 sports season with a magnificent performance, achieving an excellent sporting result and winning a total of six medals at the 16th Polish Championships:

  • a silver medal with the left arm and a bronze medal with the right arm in the women’s open masters category
  • a gold medal with the left arm and a silver medal with the right arm in the women’s open grandmasters category
  • a gold medal with the left arm and a silver medal with the right arm in the women’s open category for people with disabilities.

As a result, Ms Sonia qualified for the national team for this year’s European Armwrestling Championships and the World Armwrestling Championships in Bulgaria.

– I wanted to perform as well as possible and not disappoint the trust placed in me by supporters from my county – says the champion. – Only the bronze medal I had dreamed of could make my dream come true. My opponents in the open-category final were very strong. One of them was vastly different in size from me – she weighed 150 kg and was 180 cm tall, compared with my weight of 65 kg and height of 162 cm...

She adds: – This success would not have been possible without the support of Bolesławiec County Starost Dariusz Kwaśniewski and the entire Bolesławiec County Board, who helped finance my trip. I would also like to thank you and the head of Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących nr 1 for lending me the gym free of charge.

The winner also thanked the coach of Steelarm Wrocław, who trained her technically, as well as her family. In addition, Ms Sonia announced that she wanted to donate one of the medals she won to a charity auction, and asked interested foundations to contact her. – I fight not only for myself, but also for others – says the strongwoman.

As Igor Mazurenko, president of the Armwrestling Polska Federation, Igor Mazurenko reports:

Ms Sonia’s success is a source of pride not only for our sport, but also for the residents of Bolesławiec County. I believe that many more times we will be proud of her sporting achievements and share moments of emotion and pride.

Visit the armwrestler’s Facebook profile: facebook.com/soniaturzyniecka.

Bolesławiec County/ii