Poland won 14 medals, including four gold, five silver and five bronze, at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, the country's best haul this century.
Four golds, five silvers and five bronzes
The Polish women’s quadruple sculls team opened the country's medal tally at the Games in Japan by taking the silver in the Olympic rowing competition on July 28.
The team of Agnieszka Kobus-Zawojska, Marta Wieliczko, Maria Sajdak and Katarzyna Zillmann finished second in their Olympic final, 6.23 seconds behind winners China.
On July 31, Team Poland won the mixed 4x400m relay event, capturing the first gold for the country in Tokyo.
The Polish team, comprising Karol Zalewski, Natalia Kaczmarek, Justyna Święty-Ersetic and Kajetan Duszyński, clinched their victory with a time of 3:09.87, setting a new European and Olympic record.
On August 3, Poland's Karolina Naja and Anna Puławska won the silver in the women's kayak double 500 metres competition, earning the country's third medal of the Games.
That same day Polish wrestler Tadeusz Michalik took the bronze in the men’s 97 kg Greco-Roman.
Also on August 3, Poland's Anita Włodarczyk became an Olympic champion for the third successive time, and countrywoman Malwina Kopron secured the bronze in the women's hammer throw.
A day later, Agnieszka Skrzypulec and Jolanta Ogar won silver in the women's 470 sailing class.
Runner Patryk Dobek on August 4 grabbed the bronze in the men's 800m, and Wojciech Nowicki and Paweł Fajdek added a gold and a bronze in the men's hammer throw.
Dawid Tomala on August 6 stunned the field and won a surprise gold in the Olympic men’s 50km race walk to bag his country’s 11th medal of the Tokyo Games.
Later that day, Maria Andrejczyk scooped the silver in the women’s javelin throw.
On August 7, Karolina Naja, Anna Puławska, Justyna Iskrzycka and Helena Wiśniewska took the bronze in the women's K-4 500 metres canoeing event.
On Saturday, Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek, Iga Baumgart-Witan, Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik and Justyna Święty-Ersetic won silver in the women's 4x400m athletics relay to claim the country’s 14th medal of the Tokyo Olympics.
Poland's Chef de Mission for the Tokyo Games, Marcin Nowak, said ahead of the Olympics that it was realistic to expect that Polish athletes would bring home up to 15 medals from Japan.
PLN 2.2 million up for grabs
With the Games ended, the Polish Olympic Committee (PKOl) is expected to allocate a total of PLN 2.2 million (EUR 480,000, USD 570,000) to the medal winners, state news agency PAP has reported.
Under a decision by the national Olympic body last month, athletes competing in individual sports can hope for PLN 120,000 (some EUR 26,700, USD 31,600) for a gold medal, PLN 80,000 for silver, and PLN 50,000 for bronze.
Athletes in team sports, including relay teams, meanwhile, are eligible for PLN 90,000, PLN 60,000 and PLN 37,500 respectively, and coaches can count on PLN 60,000, PLN 40,000 and PLN 25,000 respectively.
A total of 210 athletes competed for Poland in this summer's Olympics in Japan.
Poland was represented by athletes competing in 28 Olympic sports, including more than 60 track-and-field contestants.
The Polish Olympic team for Tokyo also included a contingent of more than 200 coaches, doctors, physiotherapists and other personnel.
The Tokyo Games, postponed from last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, took place in Japan from July 23 to August 8.
Poland won 11 medals, two gold, three silver and six bronze, at the previous summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.
At the London Olympics in 2012, Team Poland scooped 10 medals, three gold, two silver and five bronze.
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Source: PAP, olimpijski.pl