Athletics will return to Poland in something resembling its traditional format in Chorzow on 20 June but some of the country’s top athletes will also be involved in a series of competitions which makes its debut tomorrow.
The Orlen TVP Sport Cup is a project which has been launched by the Polish Athletics Federation in conjunction with broadcaster TVP Sport. Each Thursday for the next six weeks, a shot put or pole vault sector will be constructed in the shadow of the TVP headquarters in Warsaw. Each competition will feature current stars of Polish athletics and their exploits will also be televised live on Polish television.
Taking centre stage tomorrow will be the men’s shot put which features reigning European indoor and outdoor champion Michal Haratyk up against his compatriot Konrad Bukowiecki, the 2017 European indoor champion and two-time European U23 champion.
“For now, I do not aspire to throw far. First of all, I would like to return to my starting rhythm. In my recent training, the shot landed beyond the 20 metre-line. I do not expect that Michal and I will start the season with record results. But that may change soon,” said Bukowiecki ahead of his outdoor season’s opener.
It will be the turn of the pole vault the following Thursday and next week’s competition is due to feature both world bronze medallist Piotr Lisek and reigning European indoor champion Pawel Wojciechowski who will be defending his title on home soil in Torun next March.
And in July, one of the TVP studios will be transformed into a high jump sector. Leading Polish jumpers Kamila Licwinko and Sylwester Bednarek have both confirmed their intentions to participate in his unique set-up.
“I am used to jumping in shopping centres so this will not be my first competition in an unusual location. I think I am well prepared and my trainer has said my form is good. It is true I haven’t jumped for a long time so there is some uncertainty, you will have to warm up well,” said Bednarek, the 2017 European indoor champion.
Commenting on the initiative, PZLA President Henryk Olszewski said: “I can say on 18 June we will officially open the PZLA season. This will be the first step to enter into the rhythm of competition on the road to the Polish Championships in WÅ‚ocÅ‚awek from 28-30 August.”