Polish canoeists competing at the European Championships in Szeged, Hungary, won two silver medals on Saturday.
The medals were clinched by Dorota Borowska and Sylwia Szczerbińska in the canoe doubles (C2) 500-meter race, and by kayakers Justyna Iskrzycka, Sandra Ostrowska, Julia Olszewska, and Katarzyna Kołodziejczyk in the Kayak four (K4) 500-meter race.
The C2 competition started very successfully for the white and red team. The Polish crew were not favorites in this race, as they were up against more experienced and decorated teams. However, they crossed the finish line almost simultaneously with the Hungarian team, necessitating a photo finish to determine the winner. Ultimately, they lost the gold medal by only 0.08 seconds.
The Belarusian team, competing under a neutral flag, with Anhelina Bardanouskaja and Volha Klimawa, finished third.
In the K4 competition, the Polish team also were not favorites, as some top competitors who have Olympic qualifications, such as Karolina Naja, Anna Puławska, and Dominika Putto, did not participate. The Polish team competed with a secondary lineup, yet still fought for the victory until the end. The host team won, with the Polish team finishing 1.22 seconds behind. The Norwegian team took third place.
For Iskrzycka and Kołodziejczyk, these were their second medals won in Szeged. Iskrzycka had previously triumphed in the K1 1000 m, while Kołodziejczyk finished second in the K1 200 m.
The current tally for the Polish team stands at six medals. Canoeist Oleksii Koliadych also won gold in the C1 200 m, and Jakub Stepun and Przemysław Korsak took silver in the K2 200 m.
More finals are scheduled for Saturday afternoon, with five Polish crews competing for medals.
The C2 competition started very successfully for the white and red team. The Polish crew were not favorites in this race, as they were up against more experienced and decorated teams. However, they crossed the finish line almost simultaneously with the Hungarian team, necessitating a photo finish to determine the winner. Ultimately, they lost the gold medal by only 0.08 seconds.
The Belarusian team, competing under a neutral flag, with Anhelina Bardanouskaja and Volha Klimawa, finished third.
In the K4 competition, the Polish team also were not favorites, as some top competitors who have Olympic qualifications, such as Karolina Naja, Anna Puławska, and Dominika Putto, did not participate. The Polish team competed with a secondary lineup, yet still fought for the victory until the end. The host team won, with the Polish team finishing 1.22 seconds behind. The Norwegian team took third place.
For Iskrzycka and Kołodziejczyk, these were their second medals won in Szeged. Iskrzycka had previously triumphed in the K1 1000 m, while Kołodziejczyk finished second in the K1 200 m.
The current tally for the Polish team stands at six medals. Canoeist Oleksii Koliadych also won gold in the C1 200 m, and Jakub Stepun and Przemysław Korsak took silver in the K2 200 m.
More finals are scheduled for Saturday afternoon, with five Polish crews competing for medals.
Source: PAP, TVP World
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