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Marek Kania

Poland

SportSpeed Skating
FederationIDSSPOL10204199901
NOCPoland
Born02 Apr 1999 in  Warsaw
GenderMen
ResidenceWarsaw, POL
OccupationStudent
LanguagesEnglish, Italian, Polish
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 34.29 27 Jan 2024 Salt Lake City, UT  
    1000m 1:08.28 05 Oct 2021 Salt Lake City, UT  
    1500m 1:52.41 22 Oct 2023 Inzell  
    5000m 7:23.51 03 Mar 2019 Tomaszów Mazowiecki  
    10000m 16:04.90 17 Mar 2019 Tomaszów Mazowiecki  
Main Achievements
 
Main Achievements
World Sprint Championships
Event  
World Sprint Championships
    Team Sprint   1    
European Single Distances Championships
Event  
European Single Distances Championships
    500m     1  
    Team Sprint 1   1  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Club / TeamFLiSW Legia Warszawa: Poland  
General Interest
General Interest
HobbiesWatching movies. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2023)  
Other sportsHe has represented Poland in roller speed skating, competing at four editions of the world championships between 2018 and 2023. (SportsDeskOnline, 03 Nov 2023; Facebook page, 20 Nov 2021)  
Famous relativesHis siblings Mateusz and Maria have both represented Poland in roller speed skating. (sport.tvp.pl, 11 Feb 2022, 14 Nov 2021; SportsDeskOnline, 10 Nov 2022)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachBartosz Pisarek [club], POL; Artur Was [national], POL  
General Interest
General Interest
Other informationDUAL SKATING DISCIPLINES
He has also represented Poland in roller speed skating. "Certainly in summer it will be roller skates and in winter ice skates. As long as I am able to combine the two and get good results, which it looks like I can, I would not want to only choose one. There are athletes who have been successful both in roller skating and speed skating. Last year [2020] I wanted to quit ice skating and there was a plan to focus only on inline skating. I went to the Polish speed skating championships. It was supposed to be my last competition in the sport, I only wanted to get some points for the club. However, I had some good results and [coach] Konrad Niedzwiedzki noticed them. He offered me a place on a training camp with the sprint team. I took advantage of this and trained with them, did my best and was invited to the national speed skating team." (sport.onet.pl, 26 Oct 2021)

BALANCING SPORT AND STUDY
Ahead of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, he took a break from his studies in automation and robotics at the Warsaw University of Technology in Poland. He had previously taken a study break to train in inline skating in Italy, but was forced to return home due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. "I have been studying at the university for four years [speaking in 2021], but only one year full-time. After I finished my first year, I took study leave and went to Italy with my siblings to train in inline skating. When I resumed my second year, all my classes were conducted remotely, which in a way made it easier for me to combine studying and training, because I could be at sports camps and complete everything at the same time. Combining studying at WUT with high-level training is not easy and you often have to deal with things individually. Fortunately, most of the professors take kindly to my situation." (pw.edu.pl, 09 Nov 2021; sport.onet.pl, 26 Oct 2021)
 
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/Marek-Kania-101772192339299  
General Interest
General Interest
InjuriesHe missed the 2023 European Championships in Hamar, Norway, due to a muscle injury, but recovered to win bronze in the 500m at the 2023 Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, NY, United States of America, later the same month. (polsatsport.pl, 19 Jan 2023; legia.net, 04 Jan 2023)  
Memorable sporting achievementCompeting at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2023)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sportHe followed his friends into speed skating.  
General Interest
General Interest
Most influential person in careerCoach Bartosz Pisarek. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2023)  
Hero / IdolBelgian speed skater Bart Swings, US speed skater Joey Mantia, Dutch speed skater Michel Mulder. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2023)  
AmbitionsTo win a medal at the Olympic Winter Games, and to win a world title. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2023)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?He took up the sport at age nine at school.  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"Hard work is better than talent." (Athlete, 15 Nov 2023)  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2023/2024 European Single Distances Championships Team Sprint1  
    2021/2022 World Sprint Championships Team Sprint2  
    2021/2022 European Single Distances Championships Team Sprint3  
    2023/2024 European Single Distances Championships 500m3  
    2022/2023 World Single Distances Championships Team Sprint4  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships Team Sprint5  
    2023/2024 European Single Distances Championships 1000m6  
    2021/2022 European Single Distances Championships 500m8  
    2023/2024 World Sprint Championships Overall11  
    2022/2023 World Single Distances Championships 500m14  
    2022 Olympic Games 500m16  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships 500m18  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2022/2023 Calgary, AB Team Sprint1  
    2023/2024 Quebec, QC Team Sprint1  
    2023/2024 Quebec, QC 500m2  
    2021/2022 Stavanger 500m3  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 500m7  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 500m7  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 500m12  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1000m35  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1000m38  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 1000m39