More and more men and women over 40 years old grave for our sports discipline. Also the amount of disabled armwrestlers increases from day to day. To this year’s 31^st World Championships in Italy, which took place between 7^th and 13^th of September 2009, admittedly this group of armwrestlers was not numerous (because of financial reasons as some of the sports men could not reinforce Polish Team), but they worthily represented our country on the world armwrestling field. At last 3 masters (competitors over 40 years old), 2 grand masters (competitors over 50 years old) and 1 disabled went to the Italian World Championships. Their fights were planned on 10^th (left hand) and 11^th (right hand) according to the statute. Let’s look closer to the rivalry and final results.

Let’s start from disabled. The only Polish representative - Maciej Gralak from Bydgoszcz took part in the up to 60kg category. Although Maciek is the actual vice champion of Europe right hand (he won the silver medal at 29^th European Championships – Bulgaria 2009), during the world’s rivalry he ran into stronger competitors. Or maybe he simply had a worse day. Or he was simply out of proverbial luck. Admittedly the contestant of Zloty Niedzwiedz Bydgoszcz Club defended himself as a silver medalist should, sitting by the armwrestling table (competitors of the disabled category at World and European Championships sit during fights) but finally unfortunately he came out of podium (left hand – 6^th place, right hand – 8^th place). But believe me that the Maciek’s duel was on a professional scale.  The professional who Maciej Gralak is for sure. Now we have to draw conclusions and continue the hard work. Although this time he did not managed to be in the medal zone we still believe in him. And we support him each time. As in all kinds of sports: ups and downs. We have to do our stuff and fight! And there will be for sure more ups. That is what we wish him with All our hearts.

A bit more competitors reinforced the veterans category of the National Team. By this we mean masters and grand masters. Among women rivalry – masters the lonely Bożena Cichopek from Jaworzno in the up to 60kg left hand category was 7^th and in right hand category was 11^th. Here I Gould like to notice that Bożena gradually does Her stuff. She has many successes on the national field (she was the Champion of Poland several times) and two on international field but very important ones – left and right hands silver medals of European Championships Bulgaria 2009. This time the medals of the competition with world lead were out of her reach.

But in the future? I have been watching her career for ages and I may claim that it is possible. But when, we will find out during the nearest World Championships struggles.  

There were much more Polish men representatives of the same age group. In the up to 80kg masters category we could see the world debutant Krzysztof Tur from Warsaw. Though 19^th place for left hand and 23^rd for right (for 27 registered competitors) are not the best ones we need to remember that this was the world rivalry and not the backyard or national. Krzysiek’s training time (less than a year) so little experience at the table make him able to reinforce the world armwrestling lead in the future in masters category. And according to the fact that the contestant from Warsaw is taught of hard training work (he is a former body-builder) medals at national tournaments may soon be within his hand or even hands range.

The last Polish competitor of the masters category was the double brown medalist of European Championships – Bulgaria 2009, the president of the Polish Armwrestling Federation - Igor Mazurenko from Gdynia.  Unfortunately Igor did not repeat his success from Bulgaria in Italy. In the heaviest +100kg category having 18 titled and experienced competitors as: Tim Bresnan from USA, Georgy Szasz from Hungary or Earl Wilson from Canada and others in the left hand rivalry contestant from Gdynia came close to podium – on the 4^th place whereas in right hand he was 9^th.

Among a bit older Polish veterans so the competitors of grand masters category Stanisław Gralak from Bydgoszcz went very well. In +90kg category of left hand Stanislaw was 6^th and of right hand 8^th (among 18 registered competitors). It was visible  that the contestant of Zloty Niedziwedz Bydgodzcz was well prepared. However the start with the world’s best showed that he must still  work on his form and technique and gain more experience at the table which his rivals had for sure. While observing the direct struggles of Stanislaw you have to believe me that the world medal was within his range. Maybe not the gold one, but at least brown. That is how it was at this year’s Bulgarian European Championships (right hand brown). Admittedly hard training work is waiting for him but there is nothing you can do for the sports success. Is that true? His professional colleague – Andrzej Hymer from Koszalin after losing 10kg he started in 90kg category. He did not managed to win any medal in the direct rivalry finishing the tournaments on the 11^th place for left hand and 10^th for right. We may see that this is the ideal starting category for him. He must only find himself in it and reach the best form and strength, which for sure were lost while losing weight before the championships.