il vero uomo italiano!

I didn't post here, because I was waiting for some kind of boom so...
When I started to learn, watch volleyball he was a star! I was growing up with an awareness that the he is one of the best players on this planet. I've been admiring him for ages, since the beginning of my adventure with that discipline. For me as a supporter and volleyball maniac a conversation with my "guest" was such a big honor. Even in some way my little dream came true. 

As I said, he is a star. Of course, when I told that to him, he answered  ' I'm just a player, not a star...' but we all know how important is his being in volleyball world. 
That man achieved many things during his career and I know he hasn't told us his last word. He is a champion of the Europe, vice Olympic Champion etc... 

Ladies and gentlemen - Alberto Cisolla!

Alicja Łokuciejewska : Don’t you think that, in a way, you’ve dissapeared in a volleyball world? For example in Poland, your transfer  to Bahrain made some kind of silence around you…

Alberto Cisolla : Just the opposite!

A.Ł: Let's stay in n a topic of Bahrain. What was the main reason that you decided to sign (short but…) contract with Al-Muharraq? 

A.C: I  had 2 years contract with Rome then the players' market got closed. In that moment  the team was completed and I had two chances: stop for some months and wait for a team (like Bonifante who came to Poland in December) or start the
pre-season with Latina.So I decided to start with Latina to find my best condition. It's a very good team. I received some offers but Andreoli asked me to stay till the end of CEV Cup.
It was very important tournament and after the final they allowed me to go. I like to play and don't be a player who starts the match from the bench.  In February all the Italian, 

European teams were completed. I chose Bahrain to get new, different experience.

A.Ł: To be honest, before the interview, I was looking for some information about the league there and… it was so hard to find anything! Would you mind telling something about it. I was so surprised when I heard about your decision and I’m curious your opinion. 

A.C: Middle East championship has all the things to became one of the best leagues in the world. They have money, beautiful and modern city with great dome and an important sport culture. The only problem, I think,  is that they don't want to give more to enter in the bigger world of volleyball. They like to stay in the Middle-East to play and enjoy their "game". 

That's the reason why you didn't find news from that world :)

photo: ilmessaggero.it

A.Ł: Finally, you’ve decided to come back to your home league. Now you’re playing in Callipo Valentina. The “Middle East” took its toll or you missed your fatherland as a place to play?

A.C.: A big difference is that Middle East is good for a few period like playoffs or a Cup but not for a complete season. I missed the professional way to work that we have in Italy, Europe and that is the only way to work that the player like me knows. So i decided to come back...

A.Ł.: As we know, you had been a very important part of Sisley Treviso for 13 years and then, you were changing the clubs almost season by season. I’m just wondering and I could be wrong of course, but did you want to make these  up these 13 years in one club? I mean, did you need some kind of immediate changes in your career?

 A.C.: For most of my career I played in Treviso because in my home town  I have one of the best teams in the world . I had no reason to change it. I was near my family, we were winning a lot and they were giving me the right money, what's more? :) But after over 20 years Benetton, our chief decided to end it. I just made a decision to play season by season with another club. It was right choice for me. And also you're right! After two decades in  the same place, I needed to get know and try the difference of other teams, cities. 

photo: legavolley.it

A.Ł What needs to happen to see you, the real star of volleyball, playing in… Polish league? Your eventual transfer to some club in Poland would be such a great and undeniable hit I think.  People just love you here.

 A.C. If I get a request,offer from a Polish team - why not?  I follow the Polish league . I think that is one of the best!  Very good level, a lot of people in the halls, in front of TVs. If I had a chance for sure I'd accept it!

A.Ł. During your career in the national team, you achieved a lot. I picked three things and I’d like you to tell, which of them was and probably still is the most memorable moment of your past. 1. Winning the European Championship in 2005  2. Being chosen the best player of that tournament or 3. Moment, when the silver medal of the Olympics hung on your neck?  (I’m aware that’s pretty frequent and nonsense question but I just want to know!

 A.C.:  I was very lucky in my career. I experienced a lot of exciting and emotional moments. Every final, for different reason, has a special place in my mind. So sorry, I don't know which is the best.

photo: italnews.info

 A.Ł.:  In 2009, you made a decision that your “adventure” with national team is over. Be  honest. Were some moments, you did regret your choice?

 A.C.:  National team is the best thing for all the athletes... now I miss it, but in 2008 I became a father and after 10 years in the team I decided to dedicate more time for my family and, to be honest, now there are younger and stronger players than me to wear that shirt :)

 A.Ł.: You’re one of the best players on the Globe but can you see somebody, who would be able to take your place in the team of Italy? I hope, you won’t be offended by this term, but as a volleyball veteran, can you mention the young-generation player, who could join you and for instant Nikola Grbić in a group of  those the best?

A.C.:  Now in Italian national team there are a lot of good players :  Zaytsev, Parodi, Kovar, Vettori or Baranovic. I like them and I think they have a huge chance to be a champions.

A.Ł.  I remember you playing in Mysłowice in 2010 I think, you partnered to Gianluca Casadei so.. . will it be possible to see you on a  sand again? Is it happen to you to follow some tournaments? 

A.C.: In the beginning, I had started with the sand but in Italy, 20 years ago, it was impossible to play during winter so I made a step into  indoor and... you know the story. In 2009 I had a chance to play for the beach volleyball national team. It was amazing! Well, indoor volleyball is also my job and I can't change it. Well,  I'd like to play on sand again in the future. I'll let you know!








A.Ł.: If you let me, I’d like to leave volleyball for a moment. I think this question should be asked to your friends, family, but I wonder, what is your own answer, so how is Alberto Cisolla privately?

A.C.: A very normal man. I hope a good father, good husband. I'd love to see my daughter become bigger and have fun with my family and friends, but it's difficult because of volleyball I have very little time.

A.Ł.:  Did the sport, volleyball have an influence on you as a human being? What have you learned for all these years?

A.C.: Volleyball- that sport has thought me a lot of things like education, respect for the rules, respect for people and being a teammate. It gave me a lot of friends. Responsibility made me a man early.

A.Ł.:  Would you define yourself as  a man’s man, hard man or rather sentimentalist?

A.C.: Each. When needed - hard man but also sentimentalist. Just like on  the court.

A.Ł.: In the hall, you seem to  be confident and determined, but if you’re coming home, leave a training bag, wear  your slippers and spend time with family, do you have the same features?

A.C.: I think I approach my life in the same ways.

A.Ł.: Just wondering. Do you help your wife at home? It’s said , Italian love to cook…

A.C.: I love to cook and I do it but the rest is the "court" of my wife. 

A.Ł.:  By the way, I  don’t want to be unkind and expostulate your age but do you have “the plan B”? What will you do after ending  your career?

A.C.:  I have lots of ideas. Taking over the restaurant of my wife's parents in Garda Lake, becoming an agent, a coach, maybe I'll open a sport center in my  town. Like you see lots of plans but it's too early to decide. I feel good with my body. I still spike at 350 cm and I'd like to play for 4 years more :)

A.Ł.: In the end… Did you have a call from “Ballando con le stelle”? I saw Gigi Mastrangelo in the last edition and in the Polish one Piotr Gruszka tries to do his best so… when we’re going to see you there?

A.C.:  In my opinion,  having a volleyball player in that kind of shows it's good for our world, so why not? But I'm not a good dancer!

A.Ł.: So... as you know, I’ve got a blog so are you going to read it? ; )

A.C.: Of course! 

A.Ł.: The last question. If you found a golden fish or Alladin lamp, your three wishes would be…

A.C.:  health, especially for my daughter. This is the most important thing! A chance of playing again some final match and playing in Polish League. 

Thank you Alberto so much! I know, I'll repeat myself but I do appreciate your time you gave me. It really was an honor to talk with you!  And of  I wish your little dreams come true :)

And now I'd like to say thank you for Elena Zanutto for photos, which she shared with me for this blog

love for beach volleyball - Stare Jabłonki

To continue the topic of Stare Jabłonki I 'd like to show you the astounding magic of that place. I want you to fall in love with beach volleyball and that little, Polish village. I want you to help me to persuade people in Polish Volleyball Association / Federation (who cares?!) that beach volley (World Tour, AVP and blabla) is so important for the society here, for the fans. I want you to tell them that beach volleyball is as much popular as indoor and probably in some way more exciting. Actually I realized I want you to do many things but it's worth it! I'd write a book titled "Stare Jabłonki - the center of beach volley awesomeness" but I tried to collect everything in a list. Let's start it! Oh... I'll be posting here the photos so hope you won't get bored so fast.

The flavor of beer, cerveza, piwo and kiełbasa or "keilbasha"
One small village, courts, a few games during the day, crowded area, sun burning your skin and... a beer.
Cold beer. As a fan of beach volleyball I have to admit, there's nothing better in the whole wild world than a show of great players on the sand, sun above your head and sweet, cold beer in your hand. It doesn't matter if there is 35*C or the storm is coming - everything stays the same and you're in heaven!
What about kiełbasa? Well, that's a good question. I have no idea why the players love it, but as a Polish I appreciate their feeling to my national "dish". I even heard, some of them wait for "keilbasha" in Stare Jabłonki for the whole year! That's impressive guys but I'm so glad to know it!

I know, you're jealous - my cup is pretty cool!

Kids Camp! The School of volleyball ninja and Jedi! 
If I were a kid I'd love to be a part of that so,so much! I'd like to be thought by the best players on this planet and thanks to the organizers, those children had a chance to be their students. That's was so sweet and really touching! The kids were so preoccupied with the athletes! To make it more awesome I'll say that the players were so involved and open too. I can't tell you right now, who exactly was the teacher there, I was staring at Michał Kądzioła, Todd Rogers and Sebastian Świderski and their little players. Mhm...who knows, maybe one day we'll hear about one of them during the Olympics? Everything is possible and.. it started in Stare Jabłonki my dears. No words need, look at the photos of Todd and his volleyball ninja -Jedi army.

hands up baby hands up

Todd approves!

When the crowd goes wild

The atmosphere is indescribable No matter if you're 5, 15 or 55. If you're there, you're just having fun! You're having the best time of your summer, the year or maybe life! Even if  there's an enormous possibility of losing your voice - don't be worried because the tournament and players are worth it! I should add that thanks to the DJ and maybe music your dance skills improve incredibly fast! This is the place and the time, when you're able to leave the past and worries behind your back and just relax, chill & feel it. Oh... "feel it", it sounds like a song from last tournament in Poland so don't thanks, just watch it: 

I've already told you about some dance moves, unfortunately Casey Patterson wasn't the dance star there (that's why I hope he's going to be dance master in this season), but the crowd was carried along by Michał Kądzioła and Jakub Szałankiewicz who just rocked that!

When I talked to the journalists from Latvia or the United States they admitted that the people in Stare Jabłonki are amazing. They were shocked that to the small village, year by year, come beach volleyball fans from many countries. Most of the tournaments takes place in the big cities like Rome or Berlin where you can go sightseeing. Anyway, maybe there's no Colosseum or Branderburg Gate, but we've got lakes, forests and second-best of universe.. Just look at crowd dancing "spacedance". It's better than Moscow, isn't it?

9 am and the main stadium begins to be filled with the crowd

Those guys went so so wild!

Golden, Olympic duo plays just for me.
Everybody has some idol, right? Stare Jabłonki is a perfect place to meet him/her or them. I'm not going to write on behalf of somebody, because I don't know if our opinion are coinciding and oh... most of the time I'm not in the majority but I think, after reading my little story you'll agree with me. Well, I have my idols too. It's nothing to hide, my heart belongs to USA (beach) volleyball team. Thanks to the event I'm still talking about, I had a chance to meet my beloved group. Sometimes the main stadium is full because Kądzioła, Prudel or any Polish team plays there so everybody from Poland goes to see them. That's my moment of happiness. I will be repeating it all the time but as a huge fan of  US I go to the court number 4 and I  have my own, almost "private" match. "Private" because even if there's 100 people, nobody gets as excited as I do! Sometimes involvement in support is so big that nothing else matters. I used "Golden, Olympic duo plays just for me " as a title here cause it's so true! I will never forget the Olympics 2008 in Beijing when Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser played in the big final! I had wanted to meet the so, so badly... and I did it! When I was watching their battle for the gold, they were unreachable till the day I came to Stare Jabłonki. That was pretty... wow, I can't find a appropriate word! In a nutshel - I was supporting them when only about 70 people surrounded me. I felt like watching Olympic final at home! In 2008 Todd and Phil were unavailable, some time later they were almost just for me!

Actually, that was the match of Phil and Sean, but still "private"

Holy moly! Where to go?! I want to see every show!

One of the most funny thing is the fact that matches are at the same time. What if on the court number one plays Emanuel Rego and Alison, the second is taken by Ricardo and his partner, third by Todd Rogers and Ryan Doherty and fourth... by Sean Rosental and Phil Dalhausser who play against Casey Patterson and Jake Gibb?! You can't even play "rock, paper, scissors" because anyway your hart will be hurt in some way... While writing that part of post, my friend reminded me my reaction : "What the he..?! But what?! So.. damn seriously?! SERIOUSLY? Please say, you're jokin' " She didn't. I still haven't figured out how to "play" it good, but I like that way of getting adrenaline. To be honest, it's better when you have your friends with you and every action is texted to them sitting on the other side of the village. Anyway, if something better came up to your mind, please let me know!

They're an amazing players, the beasts on the sand but their hearts are huge and gold! 
My decade with volleyball showed me many things, good and bad. Some indoor volleyball players were unkind to the fans, even those who are 6 or 7, some of them treated themselves as a "star" but they were not super-cool as they thought. Of course not everybody acts like that, for example Ivan Miljković or Alberto Cisolla, but I've never seen situation that the beach player refuses a photo or an autograph. What's more, my friends told me about Emanuel Rego's gesture. He is a star. He is an amazing player but he has got a good heart. According to the Kasia and Karola's story, some time ago girls from charity foundation asked him for a help with rising money which had to be donated to children's hospital. He agreed and some medical facilities were bought to save kids' life. In my opinion, beach volleyball players are a special group of society. I don't know how they do it, but they are - as Obi Wan Kenobi used to say - "the chosen one". The level of calm and patience is so high. They always have time for the supporter, they're available and they're just for people like me or you, for us. They always find a minute for a small conversation. It happens that maybe some players remember you from the previous tournaments and then meeting looks like : "Oh hey girl! What's up?! It's been a year, how are you?". I need to use my favorite sentence which goes like "as a fan of team USA..." I'm so happy to be who I am so have a moment for a small reflection. I hope that Casey or Jake or Ryan or Todd or Phil or Sean reads it that's why I'd like to thank you for everything. I mean, If I were you in Jabłonki, I would be tired of me screaming "USA" all the time or asking you for a photo. Actually, I hope that now you know how big part of my "beach volleyball life" you are! Thank you. Maybe I'll repeat myself, but that's a wonderful thing when an athlete is doing his / her job on a high level and stays a real human being. In beach volleyball, there's no time for being a celebrity as it's starting to be popular among other sports. Beach volleyball is full of admirable athletes who don't change even having the gold hanging on their necks. I had an opportunity to meet them in Stare Jabłonki and I'm sure my words. They're like a rock stars but in "sand version" They're bringing the balance to the force, not leaving it in the darkness.

 with my best friend and awesome team USA

 woops, thjat's USA again with my second best friend and Ryan &Todd

 Emanuel "Emil" Rego and my lovely friends whom Emanuel helped with the charity action 

no words needed, thank you for being awesome USA

10 years together hm? Ricardo and my dear girls

 so Emil wasn't happy when he realized I'm with USA but...

 Ryan's reaction was much better

And here, I'd like to say that was the best 4th July in my life! Or maybe I just been given best gift ever.

T-shirt is hanging on the wall next to Ivan's one :) 

Dear reader, if you're still with me, I'm so glad to know that! Hope, you've fallen in love with beach volleyball.
Dear Donald Trump or Bill Gates, if YOU're riding my blog, please, please text me! Don't be impassive and give some useless millions for the organizers of the tournament in Stare Jabłonki. Be more awesome than you're now and make me happy, make me smile and let me have the best time of my life with my amazing friends and those incredible athletes I was writing about. I count on you!
Dear somebody from the Polish Volleyball Association / Federation please, just read my article once again, then once again and realize that beach volleyball is phenomenal! That beach volleyball players are out of this planet! That we need that tournament in Stare Jabłonki. We, fans deserve it.

Houston we have a problem with World Tour in Stare Jabłonki!

Small peaceful, calm village, surrounded by the forests and lakes Stare Jabłonki without Grand Slam? Yes, it's possible. Why? Well, I've got my own theory. Do you want to hear it? No problem, here you are...

If you're here, you're probably a fan of volleyball and I dare to suppose you know what the beach volleyball is, that's why if you're from Poland you know how teed off I was on Monday! Even if you're not (thanks to all Americans and people from any other country who read it), to help you understand my situation, try imagine that the Christmas is canceled. No food, no gifts, no celebrating... do you feel it now? Somebody probably wants me and beach volleyball fanatics / fans deprive our beach holiday. 

It's well known that year by year we can hear : "the tournament in Stare Jabłonki is at risk" but each time everything is great in the end. Unfortunately not now. Although the World Championships were such an amazing event and everybody was satisfied the problem hasn't been solved. It's all about the money. 

In my opinion, beach volleyball is discriminated in Poland. Priority, the main goal for Polish Volleyball Association. is to organize World Championship. What goes with that - necessity of possessing money. I can't say that WC isn't important, cool, because for example it's been a long time I saw Matt Anderson, Marko Podrascanin or Bruno Rezende playing "live" but it doesn't change the fact, I still want to be part of Grand Slam in Stare Jabłonki!

I do understand, WC is a big thing, Poland hasn't been a host of an event like this one but why the hell beach volleyball fans have to be aggrieved?! You just can't let go something wonderful like GS (it has been in Stare Jabłonki for 10 years - it's a tradition) because you think beach volley isn't as popular as indoor and the WC is a better idea to promote the country that's why you won't give money for our "sand monsters". The tradition just has to disappear?! I'm aware that WC needs a huge amount of money but if I had known it causes problems for beach, I wouldn't have wanted to have it here in Poland! I didn't ask for that so why I have to be punished? Me and many, many people? This will be stupid instant but canceling Grand Slam is like canceling the gig of Backstreet Boys, because Metallica (WC) is coming to the city. At first glance it looks very wisely. The budget from the first concert will be taken by the organizers to the show number two, to make it more spectacular but... Has the person responsible for that considered that the BSB still has million of fans? Maybe they were much more popular in '90s but people love, need and covet them so much! Metallica is a great band, adored by the crowd but it doesn't mean that fans of BSB don't exist! If you want to make the city cool, popular and wow do your best, do everything what's possible and make two concerts! Believe me. 

I'm not the only person who tried to suit the holiday to the time in Stare Jabłonki and now what? I can't imagine my summer without the Grand Slam. I just can not! I can't stand the thought that I could be able not to see Casey 'Ninja' Patterson and Jake "Spiker" Gibb bringing the boom on the sand, Emanuel i Pedro crushing their rivals... I can't imagine the fact I won't be wandering with American flag on my back, screaming "come on USA" "Ryan move your ass and win it babe" "Casey just kill it man, just kill it" etc. I can't imagine not learning new dances which are one of the most hilarious and best at once things there. I can't imagine, I won't be dancing to the country music. And finally I CAN'T IMAGINE I WON'T BE WATCHING THE BEST PLAYERS ON THE PLANET IN THE ACTION! I just can't imagine these things.

My heart could be broken tomorrow or next week, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed, everything will be ok.

PS : If Donald Trump or other moneybag is reading it, please text me and I'll tell you what to do with your useless millions, ok? 

In the end, I'd like to share with you some photos from Stare Jabłonki, hope you'll fall in love too :)

Hey you, do you still think, beach volleyball isn't popular in Poland? Well...

maybe Todd "The Professor" Rogers at kids camp will convince some not really reasonable people
that GS is needed!

Maybe Ryan Doherty will do it also... 

or me with my friend? We rocked international media and tried to persuade people in front of their TV sets
that Stare Jabłonki is a center of beach volleyball

still not sure? Hope Jake Gibb will help you to make a GOOD decision

new Captain America

For sure you know, who I want to talk about. Surely you've heard about him, but you know what? Now's my time to share the reflections about the hero. You could be fed up with that, but me, as a sports fan, supporter of #teamUSA  and lover of animals, I just can't not write something about him on my blog. 

Small bio.

The American freeskier - Gus Kenworthy was born on 1st October 1991 in Chelmsford, Great Britain. At the age of 2, Gus with his family had moved to Telluride, Colorado - the place, where his "adventure" with skiing begun. That's still not, what I wanted to write....I actually don't see the purport of writing here his biography, so maybe just go to wiki and check is out, and I'll move to Sochi episode.

Gus is a thief of my heart.

22-year-old Gus won his first Olympic medal in sloopstyle skiing and shared the podium with two Americans - Joss Christensen (gold) and Nick Goepper (bronze). They started showing up on almost every sites, guys even appeared on a cereal box in the USA. (Is there a chance to get it in the Europe?!) I'm not into sloopstyle and I can't tell you more about that sport, but there's a reason number two...

Well, Mr Kenworthy maybe won a silver medal, but he is the one with a heart of gold. During his stay in Sochi, Captain America found the dog family near the media center.

Gus and Natalie Morales while recording an interview.

'I tried to take them and bring them into the Athletes' Village with me, but you're not allowed to do that, so they've had to stay here', he told to Natalie Morales.

On a spot he expressed interest in adopting and bringing them home, to the USA. , 'Yeah I want to bring these home with me', he added. Since the Olympics had started, we were able to see moving and cute photos of G. and his new friends which that young man was posting on his Twitter or Facebook. Even he admitted that, 'They are like the cutest thing ever'! 

He was visiting his lovers every day, buying food and playing as long as he could. 

Instead of going home and celebrating his huge success with family&friends, Silver Boy ended up his stay in Russia about a week longer than he had planned. Paper work and preparations to move took a bit longer, but the final of that case is amazing! As Kenworthy mentioned in one interview, his brother has already said, he'd love to take one of the pups and Gus'd keep another. 

Thanks to Gus, the problem of stray dogs in Sochi caused a huge media type. He isn't the only good-natured athlete. Lindsay Jacobellis, David Backes and players of US hockey team also decided to take the dogs to the US with them.

The Behavior of those great athletes and wonderful people is moving. I'm full of amazement. It's impossible to rescue all of the stray animals in the area of Sochi and Olympic village, but thank to them, a few little, cute creatures are having safe and beloved homes. 

Gus, you're the hero, better version of Captain America.

THANK YOU!

photos: twitter.com
quotes: usatoday.com

a feeling of pride. Polish Sochi - part I

It's been almost a week and I'm still  feeling some kind of emptiness. The tears are slowly coming to my eyes and it's not due to the fact, I don't know what to do in the afternoons, but because that  I'm really, really proud of almost everything what happened in subtropical, Russian city.

I'm proud of you Poland!

Well. Poland is not a sports power in the world. We're not like Russia or the USA, which are represented by many talented athletes and always win most competitions, but that handful of Polish athletes, which was in Russia, achieved something unusual, something what is rarely seen in my country.

That singular tournament for people of Poland was initiated by Kamil Stoch. I'm not afraid to tell you all, that right now he is the king! During the one Olympics, that man did something, which couldn't have been realized by many superiored ski jumpers over all their sports careers.

In my first post here, I was writing about the "Man who made us cry". I was writing about the first gold medal, but it's said that the history tends to repeat itself... Kamil permanently immortalized himself by being the third (after Matti Nykanen and Simon Ammann), in the history of that discipline, jumper who had won two gold medals at the one Olympics. Pole, his second medal, won with 1,3 point margin over Noriaki Kasai - 41 year-old Japanese and I don't actually want to talk about Kamil's victory. Why? Because of that:

Moment, when 27 year-old Olympic champion bowes to 16 years older Kasai in a gesture of respect. Maybe this is something normal for you or it doesn't pay your attention, but I was just speechless. I'm so thankful to the photographer who took this photo, moments like that one, should be saved for ever! I was so proud that the won, so proud when I heard Polish anthem. My pride reached the sky at the time I saw this...

May I shall leave ski jumping right now and move to the sport my dad really loves. Speed skating!

Speed skater - Zbigniew Bródka, won the first Olympic medal in the history of Polish speed skating, the first and the golden one. In the 1500 m final, Zbigniew defeated Koen Verweij with the result 1:45,006, but the difference between them was incredibly small... 0,003s! He started to write his own legend there.

His "American dream" in Russian version came true. To make this story more fascinating, I'd like to mark that Mr Bródka is not just a sportsman. He doesn't spend all his day training, exercising and preparing to the tournaments - he is a fireman! His profession requires sacrifices. Services in a fire brigade and rescue operations are his every-day reality. To make you more interested in his "way" I say only that before he helped his teammates in winning bronze medal at the Olympics, he had asked his friends and family for the money support. I found out, that Polish association hadn't fully sponsored him. It's pretty ridiculous, that such a talented man like Zbigniew didn't have the assistance from federation...

Thanks to all team of Poland, to Justyna Kowalczyk and our girls - speed-skaters, silver medalists. I'm sorry I'm not going to write about you, but to be honest - I don't really like watching women "in action". It's always something missing here for me. (It seems I have got the next topic :) )