Poland is set to participate in the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games held in Milan-Cortina, competing in various disciplines, including alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, parabiathlon, and parasnowboarding. The athletes will contend for a total of 79 medal sets across these events.
Nine Athletes Compete for Poland’s Medals
The Polish delegation will not attend the opening ceremony as a form of protest against the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags. This decision has sparked strong emotions in Poland, leading both the Polish Paralympic Committee and TVP, the national broadcaster, to refrain from broadcasting the ceremony and medal presentations if competitors from these countries take the podium.
Poland’s Representation and Sports
- Alpine Skiing: Michał Gołaś, Kacper Walas (guide), Oliwia Gołaś/Andrzej Stasik (guide), Krzysztof Plewa, Witold Skupień.
- Cross-Country Skiing: Aneta Kobryń/Bartłomiej Puto (guide), Piotr Garbowski/Jakub Twardowski (guide).
- Parabiathlon: Błażej Bieńko/Michał Lańda (guide), Paweł Gil/Radosław Koszyk (guide).
- Parasnowboard: Natalia Siuba-Jarosz.
Disciplinary Breakdown
The events in which Polish athletes will compete include:
- Alpine Skiing: Slalom, giant slalom, super-G, combined events, and downhill.
- Cross-Country Skiing: Sprint, 10 km, 20 km, teams (4×2.5 km), and mixed relay (4×2.5 km).
- Parabiathlon: Men’s and women’s events including 7.5 km sprints, pursuit races, and 12.5 km events.
- Parasnowboard: Banked slalom and snowboard cross.
- Ice Sledge Hockey: Eight teams participating.
- Wheelchair Curling: Mixed teams with ten five-member squads and eight mixed pairs.
Poland’s Paralympic History
Since making its debut in the Paralympic Winter Games in 1976, Poland has accumulated a total of 45 medals: 11 gold, 6 silver, and 28 bronze. However, the Polish team did not achieve a podium finish during the last games in Beijing in 2022.
President of the Polish Paralympic Committee, Łukasz Szeliga, highlighted the ongoing challenges in promoting sports for individuals with disabilities. He pointed out the low participation rate in Poland, with only 1% of individuals with disabilities engaged in sports, compared to 40% among able-bodied individuals. Szeliga acknowledged that while interest is growing, barriers such as the high cost of equipment, especially in winter sports, remain significant hurdles.
As Poland prepares for the upcoming games, the focus will be on breaking through these barriers and achieving notable success despite the challenges faced.
