The 2026 FISU World University Championships Canoe Sports in Szeged, Hungary (17 Aug – 20 Aug), ended with a tremendous success of the Polish national team. Our athletes won a total of 16 (4 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze) medals, taking second place in the overall standings. Students and athletes from our university sports clubs, AZS AWF Poznań and Gorzów, who rank among the world’s very best, played a key role. They were the backbone of the Polish team, regularly making it onto the podium in the final races.
- Zuzanna Błażejczak won gold in the K4 500-meter race.
- The gold medal also went to the mixed relay team in the 5,000-meter K1 event, in which Zuzanna competed together with Igor Wyszkowski.
“It’s truly an unforgettable feeling. The gold medal was the one missing from my collection from Szeged. (…) From the very beginning, we were very in sync, we trusted each other, and everyone knew what to do,” said Zuzanna Błażejczak after the race.
The following athletes won the titles of academic world vice-champions:
- Patrycja Szymańska—in the women’s C1 200-meter race,
- Luiza Fechner, Agata Kowalak, Elżbieta Nowak, and Patrycja Szymańska—in the women’s C4 500-meter race,
- Piotr Kujawa and Gracjan Michalak—in the men’s C2 500-meter Olympic event.
“I didn’t expect such a good result. I was hoping for a medal, silver is satisfying. (…) Self-confidence is key; we weren’t afraid of our rivals,” Piotr Kujawa said, summarizing his performance.
The medal tally was rounded out by the bronze medalists:
- Gracjan Michalak—after a fierce battle in the C1 1,000-meter race,
- Agata Kowalak and Eryk Wilga—in the C1 mixed 5,000-meter relay.
The athletes who finished just outside the medal zone after a fierce competition also deserve recognition. The following crews secured excellent fourth-place finishes:
- the women’s C2 in the 500-meter race (Elżbieta Nowak and Patrycja Szymańska),
- the men’s C4 four in the 500-meter race (Sebastian Jasiński, Piotr Kujawa, Maurycy Szmajter, and Eryk Wilga), and
- Gracjan Michalak in the C1 500-meter race.
Agata Kowalak also performed very well, taking fifth place in the C1 1,000-metre race. In addition, Maurycy Szmajter and Luiza Fechner finished in a respectable seventh place in the C2 mixed 500-meter race.
All of our athletes demonstrated remarkable strength of character and sportsmanship, even in the face of challenging moments on the course. The entire academic community congratulates the athletes of AZS AWF Poznań/Gorzów, their coaches, and the coaching staff. Thank you for your determination, fighting spirit, and for representing the Poznan University of Physical Education with dignity on the international stage!
