On Tuesday, 23 October, a press conference combined with an official welcome for Gracjan Kozak, a bronze medallist at the Youth Olympic Games, a resident of Kraszowice (Bolesławiec municipality), and a student at “the first school,” was held in the auditorium of Władysław Broniewski I General Secondary School in Bolesławiec.
The meeting was a surprise for the decorated Bolesłavia athlete. The ceremony, hosted by Justyna Serafińska-Gruman, Bolesłavia’s secretary, was attended, among others, by Bolesławiec County head Karol Stasik, deputy county head Tomasz Gabrysiak, Bolesławiec mayor Piotr Roman, deputy mayor Kornel Filipowicz, chair of the Bolesławiec City Council Jarosław Kowalski, head of the Social Affairs Department at Bolesławiec City Hall Beata Sulska, MOSiR director Jacek Dudyński, PZLA official and DZLA head Zygmunt Worsa, Bolesłavia founder Jan Kulczycki, Gracjan’s first PE teacher and the Bolesłavia founder’s daughter Ewa Merdas, I LO principal Cezary Czernatowicz, as well as our Olympian’s moved parents: Iwona and Sylwester Kozakowie.
Rafał Bartosz Gruman, president of Bolesłavia, spoke:
It warms my heart to see so many people who came here to congratulate and thank Gracjan.
He then addressed the bronze medallist from Buenos Aires:
I would like to thank you for your effort, contribution and incredibly strong mentality.
R.B. Gruman also congratulated Gracjan Kozak’s parents and his friend, coach Tomasz Markowski:
He prepared Gracjan for two peaks in form within a year; it is a coaching masterpiece on a global scale.
Gracjan himself added that next season he would like to qualify for the European Championships. He also did not rule out competing in the Olympic Games, but this time in the senior category.
What is behind this success?
As T. Markowski, Gracjan’s coach, explained, it is above all the “work and talent” of the Bolesławiec secondary-school student. He added that the training model, already tested on another outstanding athlete, Kacper Olszewski, combined with Gracjan’s “speed, dynamism, fitness and head,” produced a medal. The coach said:
Gracjan showed at training that he is indestructible.
Piotr Roman:
This ceremony began with the song “We Are The Champions.” I thank Bolesłavia—today we can already say, the best club in Bolesławiec—for this achievement, which will go down in the city’s history. This young man has written his name in magnificent letters in Bolesławiec’s history.
He added that construction of a new stadium would begin soon:
Gracjan, we’ll build you a stadium.
Bolesławiec County head Karol Stasik:
For years, Bolesławiec County has cooperated with MKS Bolesłavia—to the extent of its capabilities. Let me remind you that in 2016, with the aim of increasing the club’s training opportunities, we built this athletics mini-stadium at the Complex of General and Vocational Schools. It is a pity that it is so small, but that is how it was designed.
K. Stasik added that the County makes the facility available free of charge and that Gracjan would soon receive the County Head’s Award for sporting achievements at the Old Theatre:
Unimaginable congratulations, because you are the first Olympic medallist in Bolesławiec!
Also attending the ceremony was Józef Marcinów from MKS Osa Zgorzelec. (The Kraszowice resident trained in this town in preparation for the Games.) The Zgorzelec coach added that the Bolesłavia athlete’s last training session ended with… the loss of his discus.
Once again, congratulations to our athlete and his parents! And we wish Gracjan many more spectacular successes.
The ceremony was enhanced by a performance from the Synkopa 2 choir of I LO.