The speed skaters on the Polish National University Speed Skating Team, coached by Dariusz Stanuch and Rafał Ślusarski, performed remarkably well on the track in Hamar. Natalia Jabrzyk, a student at Lodz University of Technology, won the first medal of the 2024 World University Championships Speed Skating. The athlete, who practices at KS Pilica Tomaszów Mazowiecki, won the gold completing the distance in 1:20.02.The other medals were won by the Japanese female skaters.
The next gold medal in Hamar was won by Marek Kania, a student at Warsaw University of Technology. He triumphed over the rest of the competitors, leading by well over a second. As was the case with the ladies, the remaining spots on the podium were taken by the Japanese.
3000- and 5000-meter events were also held during the first day of the 2024 WUC in speed skating in Hamar.
'We are counting on good results in all competitions’, Dariusz Stanuch, coach of the Polish National University Speed Skating Team was hopeful after the Thursday's events. 'It gives me great pleasure to be able to cheer on the winners. We are happy with the gold medals we have already won and with the ones that will follow,' added Dariusz Piekut, Secretary General of the AZS.
And follow they did
The expectations were fulfilled on the second day of the Championships. Natalia Jabrzyk won another gold medal, this time in the 1500-metre event, completing the distance in 2:03.91. Another Polish team member, Olga Piotrowska from AWF Katowice, came in fourth in this race.
The third day saw Natalia Jabrzyk, Olga Piotrowska, and Maja Płończyk (both from AWF Katowice) win a bronze medal in women team pursuit. They were outcompeted by the teams from Norway and Czechia. It was the first time the ladies had competed in this lineup, which is yet another reason to appreciate their accomplishment.
On the final day, Natalia Jabrzyk came very close to standing on the podium of the 2024 WUC for the fourth time, this time in the mass start. She came in fourth, losing just 0.02 seconds to the athlete who crossed the finish line third.
In the final medal classification of the WUC 2024 Speed Skating in Hamar, Poland ranked second with nine medals (four gold - three silver - two bronze). Norwegian athletes, with 12 medals under their belt, took the top place in the classification, whereas the Japanese took the third (2-3-3).
The Polish University National Team participated in the World University Championships with the support of PZU, a strategic sponsor of the AZS (The University Sports Association), and the Ministry of Sports and Tourism.
Source: AZS