Igor, you are 45 now. What would you say If you were asked to sum up your achievements?

I dedicated to armwrestling my last 14 years. I was only 31 when I started from an easy, local competition in Sopot in 1999. No one could suspect, it would change so many lifes. Armwrestling has changed not only my life but lifes of many people all over the world as well. It affected many of my life decisions.

I still remember times when I set with my wife, Ania in an emtpy room planning our first local tournament. We had just one PC then. Now even the USA are in our reach. Now I am in a waiting room before jumping into another dimention. Some part of my life has ended. Now it is time for new challanges.

What challanges you mean?

PAL was recognisable to nobody when I launched the first competition under its name in 2001. I had realized that I could fulfil my dreams with such projects as Armfight, League of Eight, tournaments of various kinds, the Professionals' World Cup. It was possible in the States. The most interesting ideas in the field of logistics, organization of competitions and sports management come from America. All other continents: Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia and Latin America are fascinated with soccer. But such a huge federation as FIFA has a budget of merely one billion dollars per a year.

And what about America? 16 matches of Super Bowl brings a revenue of more than 7 billion dollars! You can fulfil any dream if you have a good idea here. They call it „an American dream”. Actually you can find the roots of armwrestling itself in the USA. The armwrestling story starts from truck drivers' contests it the 50s. It were Dave Devoto and Bill Soberanes who started it. Soberanes died some years ago. Devoto is almost 90 now.

Do you feel successful? Do yo realize the scale of a turmoil you induced into the sport?

Not exactly...

How much have you achieved? Is it more or less than you can achieve in the future?

I achieved much. But I am still at the start of my way.

Do you mean the Top 16?

That's right. The Top 16 is not just another my project. It absorbes all of my time. It absorbes even a private life. I didn't hesitate selling my Fit Max shares in order to devote to armwrestling.

You put all your eggs in one basket.

Yes, I did.

But the project will be a certain success. One can conclude it from your previous achievements. Don't you think so?

Actually everything I started to do, I did with success. Sometimes more sometimes less. The minimum goal was always achieved. But a real success is people. My greatest achievement is a reliable team I work with. I will work with most of them even after going to the USA.

Iza Małkowska