XXII European Armwrestling Championships
13th-20th May 2012, Gdansk - Poland

Sometimes it happens that sons follow in their fathers’ sports footsteps. And usually it is a kind of “succession” so the younger one enters after the older had ended his career. So as in case of footballers – the Smolareks, the Szczesnys. However the situation when the father and his son start together is rather rare. This is a specificity of Armwrestling where there are age classes. This is something that our sport is distinguished by.

The two Gralaks will take part in five classes. The younger one, Maciej in senior -60 kg left and right arm and disabled -60 kg right arm. The older one, Stanislaw in grand masters +100kg class on left arm.

I’m putting the question to Stanislaw - the older one of the Gralak Team. Whose starts are you more excited about, yours or Maciek’s? And of course I’d like to ask you to rate, who’s going to do better in Gdansk – the father of the son?

Stanislaw Gralak: It’s not hard to rate who will do better in Gdansk. Of course it will be Maciej. We’ve been training really hard together during the preparatory period before the Polish Championships and last weeks before the European Championships were also devoted to hard trainings. Because Mackie’s regeneration is better, he easily “deals” with training what can be seen in his results. I hope Maciej will succeed in Gdansk. I’m much more excited about Maciek’s starts than main. We support each other every day and there are tight family ties between us. Apart from father’s love there’s also a great friendship. By the table Maciek stays alone with his opponent and I have no possibility to help him, although I’d like to.

How do you spend the weeks before the tournaments? What are the trainings? How do you rest?

Stanislaw Gralak: We train hard all the time, and it will stay so until the 7th of May. After that time there is only regeneration, swimming, sauna. We haven’t changed much in training since the Polish Championships. Lately we also tried to spare a lot in our club Arm Fanatic Sport Grudziadz.

Are you happy to start in Poland? Will it be an opportunity to show yourselves to our supporters?

Stanislaw Gralak: We’re really happy that the European Championships are organized in Poland. I think our country deserves such a distinction just because of the reason that the Poles are the co-organizers of many successful international events.

Although, on the other hand I know it’s a huge logistic undertaking, which absorbs many people and it demands a lot of hard work, coordination, many renouncements not mentioning the financial matter. It’s also great that we will be able to show us to the Polish audience and promote our discipline which is getting recognized and appreciated in Poland.

How do you imagine these championships with respect to sport and organization?

Stanislaw Gralak: I bet on that the championships will be perfect with respect to organization. With respect to sport Polish players are for sure full of will to fight, ambition and increasing skills in spite of evident difficulties. I’m sure we’ll do good with respect to sport.

Will a new Champion appear? “The New Generation?”

Stanislaw Gralak: There are many favourites who would like to show their best side and they will be the core of the Polish Armwrestling. I think that there are some new ambitious competitors among them that would like to fight for the podium.

Do you think these tournaments could be critical to our Polish Armwrestling?

Stanislaw Gralak: I think that every tournaments of the kind if they will go good in relation to organization and sport, it is already a crucial moment which will for sure go down good in the history of Polish and European Armwrestling. There is a great need of the sports success. There’s a need to announce it. As a club, that’s what we do in the local media. Here’s my request to other clubs, to do that too, if they are able to. Also the European Championships should be promoted in a proper way. The breakthrough may be even bigger due to the increasing interest of many social groups: young people, disables, “older seniors” in this sports discipline, which enables versatile physical development of the organism.

I would also like to hear what you can say, as an Expert, about the needs of our Armwrestling here and now.

Stanislaw Gralak: As a man dealing with sport for many years you know the answer for the question yourself.

Yes, I do… But?

Stanislaw Gralak: What we need the most is a strategic sponsor, who could help in the development and ensure financial stability. I would help to resolve the matters of the National Team, trips, groupings, fees for trainers. And so the development of clubs and selection of talented players. As long as our discipline becomes and Olympic one we won’t be able to count on the support of the country.

I know that, I do know. Thanks for the conversation and see you in Gdansk!

Stanislaw Gralak: See you! These will be great tournaments!

PeSzy