Champions’ Gala in Chelm
As emphasized by President of the Polish Weightlifting Federation Zygmunt Wąsiela Champions Gala in Chelm was a great promotion of weightlifting. Six women and ten men in different weight categories competed, among them the world champion Marcin Dolega, Georgian Kosabijew Arsen and Olympic silver medalist from Beijing, a Frenchman Vencelas Dabaya.
The combination of weightlifters of artistic performances and meetings with prominent athletes from other disciplines, including swimmer Otylia Jedrzejczak, is a very good promotion of our sport – Zygmunt Smalcerz said.
According to the opinion of the Munich Olympic champion Zygmunt Smalcerz the weightlifting in Poland draws a great future. – We have many promising young lifters such as Daniel Dolega, the youngest of the family. If he will be well coached, he can reach the highest successes. Also Adrian Zielinski, Junior World and European Championships gold medalist has a fantastic future ahead – said Zygmunt Smalcerz.
Patron of the event was three times Olympic bronze medalist (1956, 1964, 1968) Marian Zielinski who was born 80 years ago, on 24 December 1929 in Chelm. He was a weightlifter in club Legia Warsaw (1953-70). Marian Zielinski was the first Pole in this discipline, stood on the Olympic podium (1956 in Melbourne). Also the first to set world record (1958), and a year later won the world champion title. After retirement he was a coach. He began painting, carved in wood, carry out work in silver jewelry. He died on 13 October 2005 in Warsaw.