"Our" European Championships in Jaworzno (Poland) are coming up. Competitors keep training for this event diligently. Are referees preparing as well? Let's see!

PeSzy: You get the tournament date and then... You mark it in your calendar - then what? Do you do something in particular to prepare or do you just go and do your job?

Wiktoria: When there's an event coming up and I know I will be the referee, I don't think about it as strictly "work". I just can't wait to see all the people of this sport that I haven't seen in ages! For me, being a referee has to be fun but I also take it very seriously. We have to remember that we're here for the athletes and go make sure everyone gets to have their fight fairly. I take it seriously but it's even more serious for the athletes.

PeSzy: The competitors prepare for months...

Wiktoria: Exactly! Any misconduct can ruin the hard work. That would be very upsetting to the athlete, their fans but also us as a community.

PeSzy: What's the most important part of being a referee?

Wiktoria: Definitely good analysis!

When I prepare, the most important part is always the analysis of duels, specific situations that happened at the table but also the whole past events and any problematic moments. I'm w world-class referee so of course I know all the rules by heart but the book doesn't always tell us what to do. There are many factors to consider and we all know that there are duels that are "easier" and "harder" to decide within. No wonder the athletes fight for what's theirs: better placement at the table, proper conduct of all duels, simply their victory. My role as a referee is to make sure the fight is fair and, therefore, the result of it is also fair.

PeSzy: Is there someone supporting you on your referee journey?

Wiktoria: There is! It's Krzysztof Łącki. He's a key factor in how I see being a referee. Any analysis and progress - I've been sharing it all with him since the beginning. I wish all of you to have such a supportive person in your lives. He was the one who made me fall in love with armwrestling and I owe a lot to him.

PeSzy: There are two types of competitions - amateur and professional events. Does it make a difference to you?

Wiktoria: When it comes to me, no. I see all fights in the same way because I know what I'm there for. What changes is how the athletes see everything. For large-scale events, the atmosphere is quite different because the competitors usually fight for something important, like the World Championship qualification. You can "feel it in the air" - the spirit is there, sometimes there's also tension but it's understandable.

It's natural that some fights are more important to competitors than others. This is why I believe that doing my job well is important - regardless of the atmosphere.

PeSzy: What's more difficult - fighting as a competitor, becoming a trainer or being a referee?

Wiktoria: I used to compete myself, I also trained and took care of the nutrition of other armwrestlers, and now I'm a referee. I think that all of these have their difficulties and it's hard to sort them according to how "easy" it is to do. However, it's incredibly important to me is to keep evolving in all of them - as an athlete, coach and referee.

I'm very strict towards myself. 

I will never see myself as good enough! In the positive meaning of this phrase, of course, because it motivates me to keep going, to learn and to progress. If you have the knowledge, the experience and you know you're doing your best, you can truly enjoy it, and also overcoming difficulties is much easier.

PeSzy: We have a "Polish school of referees" in armwrestling. This is thanks to Monika, Judyta and the boys. It really looks like something special. What do you think is the reason for our team of referees being this good? Because we can all tell it's true!

Wiktoria: We learn, constantly. I know we are the best because we never stop becoming better, we always think of ways to improve. We can admit our faults and wrongs, we analyse them and try to never make them again. We talk a lot as well, share our observations and, most of all, we have fun with it.

PeSzy: They appreciate you even in the new sport with the slapping. Do you work in other disciplines too? Would you ever like to try, for example, football? Or maybe the slapping thing?

Wiktoria: I'm only an armwrestling referee now but I love it so much. Maybe you will see me in the referee panel of a bodybuilding event someday. And the slapping competitions? Of course! I would agree without a second thought, it sounds like a great adventure. I would somehow find my place in there.

PeSzy: So now, please introduce yourself to people who might not know much about you still.

Wiktoria: In a few words, my education prepared me to take care of a professional's athlete health, condition, motorics, endurance, training and nutrition. I'm a coach and the founder of Team Wiktoria Trening & Żywienie. I do training and nutrition consulting online and in person, I prepare personal training plans. I work with a large group of women who want to develop or improve some athletic skills. I also train myself. And, of course, I am an international armwrestling referee. My life revolves around sports and all of its aspects.

PeSzy: Thank you and see you soon!

Wiktoria: All the best to our ARM family!

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