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Canoe sprint bronze opens Poland's medal tally at 2023 European Games

22.06.2023 14:30
Poland's Norman Zezula and Aleksander Kitewski won the bronze in the men's canoe double 500 metres competition at the 2023 European Games on Thursday to secure their country's first medal of the international multi-sport event in the southern Polish city of Kraków.
Norman Zezula and Aleksander Kitewski.
Norman Zezula and Aleksander Kitewski.Photo: PAP/Jakub Kaczmarczyk

Italy claimed the gold, while Spain took the silver medal, broadcaster TVP Sport reported.

A total of 370 Polish athletes, 188 men and 182 women, are vying for medals in the 3rd European Games, which opened in southern Poland on Wednesday and run until July 2.

The European Games feature 12 days of competition in 29 sports and provide opportunities to win European championship medals and a pathway to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in some of the sports, according to officials.

The 3rd European Games in Poland feature 12 days of competition in 29 sports and provide opportunities to win European championship medals and a pathway to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in some of the sports. The 3rd European Games in Poland feature 12 days of competition in 29 sports and provide opportunities to win European championship medals and a pathway to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in some of the sports. Photo: PAP/Łukasz Gągulski

Polish Sports Minister Kamil Bortniczuk said ahead of the opening ceremony that Poland was aiming to top the medals table at the continental Games on home soil.

"We set ourselves ambitious goals," Bortniczuk said. "We hope to finish top of the medal standings."

More than 7,000 athletes from 48 countries are expected to take part in the event, which is taking place at 25 venues in Kraków and 12 other southern Polish cities, including Chorzów, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Nowy Targ and Zakopane.

Poland won 14 medals, three gold, one silver and 10 bronze, at the 2nd European Games in Minsk, Belarus in 2019.

Team Poland scooped 20 medals, two gold, eight silver and 10 bronze, at the 1st European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2015.

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Source: PAP, TVP Sport