Wojciech Nowicki spins to victory in Szekesfehervar (© Organisers)
Most of Poland’s medal winners from the Tokyo Olympic Games will be in action at the Lotto Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, a Continental Tour Gold meeting, on 5 September.
The men’s hammer will be one of the most keenly anticipated events of the meeting as it features Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki and four-time world champion Pawel Fajdek, who took bronze in Tokyo.
“It will be great to compete against Wojciech again in the Silesian Stadium,” said Fajdek. “I hope the spectators will come out in large numbers. We want to show once again we are in form. The Games are over and new challenges are ahead of us. We are starting a new cycle, with Paris being the ultimate goal. This special competition in Silesia this year is a stop along the way. We are in great shape and we are going to throw far.”
World leader Maria Andrejczyk, who took silver in the women’s javelin in Tokyo, will also be in action, so too will Olympic bronze medallists Patryk Dobek in the men’s 800m and Malwina Kopron in the women’s hammer.
Justyna Swiety-Ersetic, Natalia Kaczmarek and Malgorzata Holub-Kowalik – who contributed to Poland’s Olympic triumph in the mixed 4x400m as well as their silver medal in the women’s 4x400m – are also due to compete in Silesia, as is Kajetan Duszynski, who was part of Poland’s victorious mixed relay squad in Tokyo.
The meeting will also mark the final competition of 2015 world discus champion Piotr Malachowski. The double Olympic silver medallist and two-time European champion, now aged 38, will hang up his throwing shoes after this competition.
“I have given a lot of my time and health to athletics,” explained Malachowski. “It is time for a change. At the Memorial dedicated to Kamila, who was my good friend, I would like to bid farewell to the throwing circle and the fans. I wish to thank them for all the years they have supported me. Even during the leaner years of my career, I knew they were with me. I have also felt the presence of Kamila.
“On 5 September I will take my last throw and symbolically hand the discus over to my son, Henryk,” added Malachowski. “I hope he will catch the sports bug as well, since he knows how much the sport has given to his father.”
Organisers for World Athletics
