A five-member team representing UKS Ilyo Bolesławiec took part in the qualifying tournament for the 2009 Polish Youth Olympic Taekwondo Championships. The tournament was held in Krasnystaw (Lubelskie Voivodeship) on 12 and 13 December. Three athletes from Bolesławiec advanced to the youth championship finals: Justyna Szyposz, in the up to 53 kg category (from second place), Paweł Knapik, in the over-87 kg category (from third place), and Yevgen Nikitin, in the up to 68 kg category (from first place).

Zawodnicy UKS Ilyo Bolesławiec i AZS AWF WrocławZawodnicy UKS Ilyo Bolesławiec i AZS AWF Wrocław • UKS Ilyo

Yevgen fought a dramatic battle for first place against an athlete from AZS Warszawa. The Bolesławiec athlete was trailing after two rounds. At the end of the third round, thanks to an impressive performance involving several kicks to the head, Yevgen managed to tip the balance in his favor, winning 12–10.

Yevgen Nikitin odbiera dyplom od Wiceprezesa Polskiego Związku Taekwondo Olimpijskiego Dariusza PłoskiegoYevgen Nikitin odbiera dyplom od Wiceprezesa Polskiego Związku Taekwondo Olimpijskiego Dariusza Płoskiego • UKS Ilyo

Unfortunately, the other two athletes from Bolesławiec, Dawid Rybak and Grzegorz Kozioł, lost their bouts. UKS Ilyo athletes will have to fight for qualification at the next qualifying tournament.

Younger juniors compete for places at the Youth Olympics

Next Saturday in Poznań, younger juniors—including Kamil Serafin, the current Polish Champion from Bolesławiec, together with four other athletes from Ilyo—will compete for places at next year's Youth Olympics – Świętokrzyskie 2009.

(information from UKS Ilyo/MZ)