Polish Olympic champion shows no mercy for the association. “I will have to go back to normal work.”
Three years ago, Dawid Tomala entered the history of Polish sport with an Olympic gold medal. Today, the champion from Tokyo admits that due to PZLA activities and lack of funds, he cannot afford to continue his professional approach to sport.
Dawid Tomala surprised practically the entire sports community in Poland in Tokyo. The walker followed in the footsteps of Robert Korzeniowski and “won” a gold medal in the 50-kilometer walk during the Olympic Games. However, he was missing in Paris because PZLA did not appoint him to the national team. The athlete still has regrets about this.
The Olympic champion attacks the Polish Athletics Association
In recent months, Dawid Tomala has repeatedly bit his tongue, attacking the authorities of the Polish Athletics Association. He willingly shared behind-the-scenes information from the staff, including: about problems with Katarzyna Zdziebło’s room. His words caused such a stir that, among others, Natalia Kaczmarek stood in opposition. What’s more, there was even talk of PZLA potentially taking legal action.
Tomala now found himself at a crossroads. He does not hide the fact that he would like to continue his career, but under good conditions. And it is difficult for him to do so due to the lack of a scholarship. The walker admits that today he lives mainly on a military salary, which is not high enough to train professionally.
– I have been saying for some time that walkers are the third wheel of the car in PZLA. Nobody cares about us or is interested in us. I have the impression that many would be better off if we didn’t exist at all. And yet we regularly bring medals for Poland, Tomala told WP SportoweFakty. – For now, we have to wait for the PZLA elections, because I think a lot depends on their results. If the current team stays, I don’t see any room for negotiations with them. Then I will have to sit down and think about my life. I don’t want to say that this will be the end of my career, but it will be a major hindrance – added the Olympic champion about the upcoming elections in the association.
Dawid Tomala’s career
Dawid Tomala is not only an Olympic champion, but also a multiple Polish walking champion with successes in the international arena. He is a representative of the AZS Politechnika Opole club.
