Polish racer replaced during the games. She found out about it from the media

Two years ago, Katarzyna Zdziebło was among the world’s top walkers. The Polish athlete brought home two silver medals from the World Athletics Championships. In the current season, she fought until the very end to regain her health and compete at the Games. She started in the individual competition over a distance of 20 kilometers, but came 30th. She was also scheduled to be a reserve for the mixed relay, but Agnieszka Ellward was called up in her place at the last minute.

Katarzyna Zdziebło is upset with the behavior

Zdziebło had to leave the Olympic Village almost overnight. Her return date was also changed, which surprised her considering that she had planned to spend time in Paris watching the relay races. As she revealed in an interview with Interia, she learned from… the media that she had been replaced and that a return flight was waiting for her in a dozen or so hours. No one in Paris was able to pass on the information to her.

– As an athlete, I was put in an uncomfortable situation. I think it is very weak. I have no reservations about my replacement, as I said, I expected it. Only the fact that I am learning about it from the media and I am getting a return ticket for a flight in a dozen or so hours is a very weak situation. It puts the Polish Athletics Association in a bad light – said the dissatisfied athlete.

Katarzyna Zdziebło’s career

Born in 1996, Katarzyna Zdziebło is a two-time vice-world champion from Eugene in 2022, as well as vice-European champion from Munich in the same year.

In the relay competition in Paris, Poland was represented by Maher Ben Hilma and Olga Chojecka. The pair took 16th place. Gold was taken by the Spaniards Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez from Spain.