The Polish Cup for juniors and seniors was held on the weekend March 2nd – 4th, 2012 in Pruszcz Gdański (North Poland). The tournament was organized by Sports Taekwon-Do Club An-Do in Pruszcz Gdanski leaded by Ms. Anna Misztal, the President and Ms. Dorota Mazur, Secretary. The club which have already gained experience by organizing Polish Grand Prix in 2011 (we wrote about that event in our report - http://www.itfeurope.org/NL2011-02-05.html) , was given again the rights to organize this time much bigger event - Polish Cup. As one year before, the tournament was held on very high organizational level.

This year the organizers came up with a very interesting idea to organize the head office of the tournament, the weigh in as well as the coaches meeting in Faktoria of Culture (Faktoria Kultury) in the International Baltic Park of Culture. The place chosen is worth mentioning. Faktoria of Culture is a reconstruction of the ancient amber trade village and the Amber Route from the Roman period. This is a unique tourist product in the Poland. This project increases cultural and tourist attractiveness of Pomerania, through the promotion of cultural heritage of the Baltic Sea. Amber Route and trade with Romans is an important and distinctive output of the cultural heritage of the region and this part of Europe. We invite you to visit the official website of the Faktoria of Culture and learn more on the place: http://faktoria-pruszcz.pl/page/english.

On Saturday, March 3rd, all senior categories were held in the sport hall in Pruszcz Gdanski. In the evening, took place the final gala where the audience could watch the finals of male 4th degree patterns and five chosen final sparring matches. The representatives of the local authorities were present during the gala. The winners were awarded by Mr. Jerzy Kulka, the Mayor of Pruszcz Gdański, Mr. Piotr Pułkowski, the Director of Culture and Sport Center, as well as by the sponsors Mrs. Lucyna Maj and Mrs. Hanna Cichoń.

Organisers with authorities and sponsors (from left): Ms. Dorota Mazur, Mr. Marcin Wolosz, Mrs. Hanna Cichoń, Mrs. Lucyna Maj, Master Tadeusz Loboda, Mr. Piotr Pulkowski, Mr. Jerzy Kulka and Ms. Anna Misztal

Except of the medals and diplomas each winner has received a statuette imitating amber, designed and made by Mr. Bartosz Kowalski. Between the finals the audience could watch the local break dance group “Young Flava”.

On Sunday, March 4th, the sport hall in Pruszcz Gdański was a venue of the junior tournament.

The title of the best senior female competitor went to Ilona Dziala from MKS Lewart AGS Lubartów, who won 2 gold medals in pattern and sparring.

The best male senior competitor was Tomasz Góra (CzAT Częstochowa) who won -54 kg sparring category and become second in the color belt patterns.

Adrianna Dworniak (TAEWO Warszawa) gained the title of the best junior female and Kamila Badura (KS Dragon Janów) gained the title of the best junior male competitor. Both become twice Polish Champions in sparring and pattern.

During the tournament Master Tadeusz Loboda, President of the Polish Taekwon-Do Association handed in on behalf of Mrs. Joanna Mucha - Ministry of Sport of Poland the diplomas of gratitude to the coaches and competitors for their successes achieved during the past European Championships 2011 in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Polish Cup was an important tournament, due to the fact that based on the results of the event, the Coaches of the Polish National Team had to select the team for the upcoming European Championships 2012 in Maribor, Slovenia.

For seniors it was also the qualifier for the Polish Senior Championships to be held on June, 8th – 10th, 2012 in Ciechanów.

The Grand Prix – the next tournament qualifying for the Polish Senior Championships – will be held on May, 11th – 13th, 2012 in Klobuck.