Amazing passion, open hearts and lots of emotions! All this accompanied the participants of the ASA Integrative Table Tennis Championships of Poland, which were held on 6-8.12.2024 in Gdańsk.
Eighty-two players from 20 academic units from all over Poland competed for the fifth time in a row in the hospitable premises of the A. Grubba Training Centre of the Polish Table Tennis Association. The professional conditions were conducive to great exchanges and fierce duels. However, winning at all costs is not the priority here. - I am fascinated by the atmosphere among the participants. They help and support each other. Of course, everyone wants to win, but respect for rivals is an everyday occurrence here,’ notes Tomasz Aftański, Director of the Centre for Physical Education and Sport at the UG, the main organiser of the competition. - Some of the competitors come back to us, which on the one hand pleases us immensely, because it means that they feel very good here, but on the other hand it gives us a comparative scale. We can see the progress they make between editions. All the more respect for them and the coaches with whom they work every day.
The hosts can be proud not only of their organisational success, but also of their sporting result. Some of the individual medals were successfully defended, but the silver in the team classification is quite a surprise. The individual gold medals of Alicja Grabowska and Justyna Kamińska and the bronze medal of Daniela Walkowska contributed to this. - The systematic work in training and experience from previous editions certainly pays off, which adds to the confidence. The entire team did a great job and I hope that this will prove to be a mobilisation for further work and an incentive for more of our students. The IMPs are a great opportunity to build self-confidence in a safe environment and to get out of one's comfort zone,’ notes Małgorzata Aftańska, coach of the ACB University of Gdańsk Sports Section for People with Disabilities. During the closing ceremony of the competition, M. Aftańska received an award of recognition for her commitment to her work on the initiative of dr Justyna Rogowska, Head of the Office for Persons with Disabilities at ASA UG, who, assisted by prof. Urszula Patocka-Sigłowa, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs at ASA UG, and Piotr Walczak, President of UC ASA UG, presented medals, diplomas and prizes to all participants.
- Organising the ASA Polish Integration Championships is quite a challenge, but also a great adventure. I would like to thank everyone who has helped us in this organisation. For years we have been able to count on the support of volunteers and referees, as well as the help of the university authorities, the City of Gdańsk and the Pomeranian Voivodeship. I believe that our efforts are not in vain and the memories of this event will be a great showcase of the University of Gdańsk and our region,' adds Tomasz Aftański.
The ASA Polish Integration Championships are financed by the State Fund for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled and the Ministry of Sport and Tourism. The organisers and partners of the event were the University of Gdańsk, ASA of the University of Gdańsk, the Centre for Physical Education and Sport of the University of Gdańsk, the ASS Environmental Organisation in Gdańsk, the Office for Persons with Disabilities of the University of Gdańsk, ASA COSA Branch in Gdańsk, the Marshal's Office of the Pomorskie Voivodeship and the City of Gdańsk.
Medallists in each starting class:
Men's Class C:
- RATUSIŃSKI Karol (ASA WSG Bydgoszcz)
- ZMUDA Jakub (ASA Politechnika Poznańska)
- SZYMAŃSKI Adam (ASA UPH Siedlce)
Women's class C:
- KNIAŹ Aleksandra (ASA Politechnika Białystok)
- BANACHOWICZ Anna (ASA Politechnika Łódzka)
- WRÓBLEWSKA Julia (ASA UPH Siedlce)
Class B7 - B9 Combined
- MAĆKOWSKI Sławomir (ASA Politechnika Poznańska)
- RACZYŃSKI Grzegorz (ASA Poznan University of Technology)
- BANACH Wiktor (ASA Poznan University of Technology)
Women's class B10
- ROZMIAREK Mirella (ASA University of Economics Poznań)
- MOCHOLA Agata (ASA Politechnika Łódzka)
- FRĄCZEK-WARIAS Oliwia (ASA AGH Kraków)
B10 Men
- PAWLETA Marcel (ASA Politechnika Opolska)
- WÓJCIK Mateusz (ASA Politechnika Łódzka)
- ŚWIDEREK Sebastian (ASA Technical University of Łódź)
Women's class D
- GRABOWSKA Alicja (ASA University of Gdańsk)
- KOZUBSKA Magdalena (ASA University of Economics Katowice)
- TŁUŚCIK Rozalia (ASA UAM Poznań)
Men's class D
- GIERSZEWSKI Paweł (ASA WSG Bydgoszcz)
- ANTOLCZYK Mateusz (ASA University of Kalisz)
- KWAŚNIOCH Aleksander (ASA Politechnika Poznańska)
Class A1 - B6 Combined
- BEM Patryk (ASA University of Rzeszów)
- KLEMENS Tomasz (ASA University of Economics Poznań)
- WALKOWSKA Daniela (ASA University of Gdańsk)
Class E combined
- KAMIŃSKA Justyna (ASA University of Gdańsk
- BIAŁOBRZEWSKI Grzegorz (ASA Politechnika Poznańska)
- LEŚNY Łukasz (ASA AGH Kraków)
Team classification:
- ASA Poznań University of Technology
- ASA University of Gdańsk
- ASA Łódź University of Technology