Damian Czykier will run in the 110 metre hurdling competition. Eliminations are planned on the 4^th of August (morning session, around 11:50). Semifinals will take place on the 7^th of August (evening session, around 19:05) and the final will be concluded in the evening session (around 21:45) one day later.

– These are my third Olympic Games (I’m planning four of them) – says Damian Czykier. – I am going there as a very experienced competitor and I am best prepared out of the three editions. It is my dream to be in the Olympic final. I am going to have great fun at the competition and the trip to the Games in Paris.

The previous Olympic achievements of our graduate – in Rio de Janeiro (2016) and Tokyo (2021) – ended in the semifinals. Damian has already run in the finals of the world championship (4^th place in 2022) and in the European championship finals (4^th place in 2016 and 2018). He is a joint Poland’s record holder (13.25s) and has been Poland’s champion many times. At our university he graduated from civil engineering. In 2020 he defended his Bachelor’s thesis on the efficiency of the 103 bus line in Warsaw.

For Krzysztof Łukasik, these are the first Olympic games. The cross-country race is planned on the 29^th of July at 14:10.

– Undoubtedly, taking part in the Olympic Games is a dream of every sportsperson – stresses Krzysztof Łukasik. – In my career I have already had some achievements I can be proud of, for example my medal in the European championship. However, being able to participate in the Olympic Games gives me the most satisfaction. It is even greater since the Olympic Games are only for a carefully chosen group of sportspersons and the qualifications proceedings were long and demanding.

– The Olympic Games are for many sportspersons the most important event in their career – adds Krzysztof. – Due to their character and sports level, they are a very demanding race. Of course I want to do my best and basically the whole season concentrated on the qualifications and participation in the Olympic Games.

Our graduate wrote these words during a mountain training, stressing that the preparations were going as planned.

– I believe that the effort won’t be wasted and I will race as well as I can – he summarises. 

In addition to the mentioned medal (silver) in the European championship in a bike marathon, Krzysztof Łukasik has also won Polish championships, a silver medal in the Academic World Championship (2018) and medals in Polish Academic Championships (2017, 2018). At the Warsaw University of Technology, he graduated from technical physics.

The Olympic Games in Paris officially open on the 26^th of July and last until the 11^th of August. The competition in some disciplines started already on the 24^th of July.