Moving confessions of a Polish Olympic medalist. “I feel useless”

There is no doubt that Agata Wróbel was one of the most famous Polish sportswomen at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. As a young girl, the weightlifter won two Olympic medals, in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics (silver) and four years later, in 2004, during the competition in Athens (bronze). Additionally, the Pole was a multi-medalist in the Polish, world and European championships, winning a medal from the most valuable metal during the World Championships organized in Poland, specifically in Torwar, Warsaw.

An extraordinary story about Agata Wróbel. A must-read book!

Wróbel appeared suddenly, but just as quickly as she appeared on the big stage, she disappeared just as quickly, ending her career prematurely in 2010. SQN Publishing House offers a book authored by the former Olympic medalist herself and Mateusz Skwierawski, a sports journalist associated with Wirtualna Polska since 2015.

This is a story that definitely goes beyond the sports bridge. The story of Agata Wróbel shows from the very beginning what a difficult start and what a struggle the main character had to endure, who, after many years of her career, is now in a demanding situation in life. Although in reality, just like in sports competition, he fights fiercely for a better life. Against all odds.

“Before going to primary school, I didn’t feel like I was different from the norm, I didn’t feel fat. Because no one had called me names before. But when I was bullied at school, I perceived myself in only one way – negatively. As an ugly, overweight girl. Even when I lost a lot of weight, to ninety kilograms, I felt a huge complex about my body. I still feel bad in my own skin” – tells about Wróbel’s difficult school period.

Times of starts and great successes. Olympic medals, the mentioned great triumph in Warsaw, during the world championships. All this can be found in the book, which is the autobiography of one of the greatest weightlifters in history.

Wróbel raises many issues, repeatedly confronting the mistakes made in the past. Also because of the environment, which – one might get the impression – often took advantage of an Olympic athlete who did not necessarily have sufficient life experience. Especially at the beginning of his career.

“There is one issue that still bothers me to this day. Maybe all my health adventures wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the injections I received at the beginning of my career. It was only years later, when I started reading about supplementation methods, that I began to reflect. After numerous conversations with other athletes, I have great doubts. Or rather, very strong suspicions. What nutrients are introduced through the abdomen in filled syringes? Hmm, probably none,” Wróbel describes in the chapter on doping, although she was clean throughout her career.

Shortly after the Games in Athens and another Olympic medal, Wróbel decided to pursue a completely different life. The Polish woman left the country and started trying something completely new in Great Britain. In England, the media quickly reached the Olympic medalist, who worked, among others, in a waste sorting plant, wanting to completely reopen their lives.

Far from the hustle and bustle, as she initially assumed when leaving for England.

“Besides, sorting was much less stressful for me than taking part in competitions. I didn’t have to worry about whether I would fail the first attempt or whether my wrist could handle subsequent loads. If someone thinks that I was standing at the conveyor belt thinking about my fate, that I was devastated because I was laughing after two Olympic medals, I have to quickly explain: absolutely not. I didn’t think about it at all. I wanted to blend in with the crowd and perform a specific task. I felt quite good. I was actually happy about it. I was finally resting mentally,” Wróbel recalls.

Landscape of an Olympic medalist. The moving fate of a Polish weightlifter

In recent years, in the context of the national record holder in double-athlon (295 kilograms), a lot of information has appeared regarding her terrible health condition. Wróbel herself talks about the current situation in the above-mentioned book. She also explains the context of online collections and what she published on social media, greatly inflaming journalists and people wanting to help.

“I have to lean on the wall. Otherwise I won’t get dressed. I can’t stand on one leg because I’ll lose my balance. I can stand on two legs, but each step is a challenge for me. I walk a long way and I can’t breathe. It clogs me. When I once carried shopping up the stairs, I couldn’t catch my breath for forty minutes. I’ve been like this for a few years (…) Currently, I feel useless, excluded from the world. The thought that a person is useless for nothing it’s not suitable, it’s terrible. I would like to have a normal, down-to-earth life. Without fireworks, but also without all the health and housing worries,” the former Olympian describes her condition.

It is worth recalling that at the beginning of this year, Prime Minister Donald Tusk decided to grant Wróbel a special lifetime pension of PLN 5,000 per month. Employees of the University Hospital in Krakow were also supposed to take care of the former Olympian’s health. The Polish Weightlifting Association was also supposed to help, at least theoretically.

Why theoretically? Wróbel herself talks about the issue of help and… a certain misunderstanding. This also allows us to understand the subsequent, completely unnecessary communication noise. It’s all collected in one place, which additionally encourages you to read these over 300 pages of a difficult, but very life-like, human story.

We also encourage you to participate in the competition, which we, as “Wprost”, organize together with SQN Publishing House.

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