Member Associations | 24 Mar 2024

Titles for Katarzyna WĘGRZYN and Samuel KULCZYCKI in Poland

Katarzyna WĘGRZYN clinched her third consecutive title, and Samuel KULCZYCKI secured his second career title as national champions in singles. The 3-day tournament took place at the Andrzej GRUBBY Polish Table Tennis Training Center in Gdańsk.

The youth dominated the competition. In the women's singles final, 23-year-old Katarzyna WĘGRZYN defeated 18-year-old Zuzanna WIELGOS 4-1, while 22-year-old Samuel KULCZYCKI defeated 21-year-old Maciej KUBIK 4-1.

Katarzyna WĘGRZYN is gradually approaching Natalia BAJOR'S achievement, who triumphed four times between 2018 and 2021. She only needs to win in 2025 to achieve that feat.

In the semifinals in Gdańsk, she defeated her twin sister Anna 4-2. It seemed she would compete for gold against the favored Natalia BAJOR, but she failed to capitalize on 3 match points and lost to junior Zuzanna WIELGOS.

Photo: Polish Table Tennis Federation

There were no major surprises in the men's competition. In the absence of Miłosz REDZIMSKI, who was struggling with health issues, the national team players dominated and all made it to the podium.

In the semifinals, young players defeated older ones - Samuel KULCZYCKI defeated four-time national champion Jakub DYJAS 4-3, and Maciej KUBIK defeated Marek BADOWSKI 4-1 (-6,12,5,8,8).

Samuel KULCZYCKI previously won the national championships in 2021, while his doubles partner Maciej KUBIK played in the final of the most prestigious event for the first time. On the other hand, Marek BADOWSKI has been a runner-up three times but never a champion.

The final results in the women's doubles were a small sensation. After winning in the two previous editions, the WĘGRZYN sisters had to acknowledge the superiority of Agata ZAKRZEWSKA and Martyna LIS (2:3).

Konrad KULPA and Tomasz KOTOWSKI, the gold medalists from 2019, 2020, and 2022, failed to reclaim their titles. They lost to Samuel KULCZYCKI and Maciej KUBIK 1:3 in the final.

The defending champions from last year, Jakub DYJAS and Patryk LEWANDOWSKI, were eliminated in the early stages (their conquerors Szymon MALICKI and Tomasz TOMASZUK won bronze), and consequently, their rivals from Płock, Miłosz REDZIMSKI and Tomasz LEWANDOWSKI, could not play together in the final.

In the mixed doubles, there were more candidates for the podium than available spots. Preparing for the Olympic qualifiers, Samuel KULCZYCKI and Zuzanna WIELGOS suffered defeat in the semifinals against Tomasz KOTOWSKI and Katarzyna WĘGRZYN 0:3.

Meanwhile, in the gold medal match, this duo lost 1:3 to Marek BADOWSKI and Natalia BAJOR.

In this event, the bronze medal was won by the oldest of the medalists at the Gdańsk event, 39-year-old Tomasz LEWANDOWSKI. His partner was Paulina KRZYSIEK. They achieved an even better result in previous seasons, finishing the national competition in 2nd place.

Women’s Singles

Zuzanna WIELGOS – Katarzyna WĘGRZYN 1:4 (4:11, 4:11, 11:4, 5:11, 7:11)

Bronze madals: Anna WĘGRZYN, Natalia BAJOR

Men’s Singles

Samuel KULCZYCKI – Maciej KUBIK 4:1 (2:11, 11:4, 11:7, 11:9, 11:6)

Bronze madals: Jakub DYJAS, Marek BADOWSKI

Women’s Doubles

Katarzyna WĘGRZYN/Anna WĘGRZYN – Agata ZAKRZEWSKA/Martyna LIS 2:3 (8:11, 11:5, 6:11, 11:5, 10:12)

Bronze madals: Wiktoria WRÓBEL/Ilona SZTWIERTNIA, Natalia GAJEWSKA/Alicja ŁEBEK

Men’s Doubles

Maciej KUBIK/Samuel KULCZYCKI – Konrad KULPA/Tomasz KOTOWSKI 3:1 (11:7, 11:8, 6:11, 11:3)

Bronze madals: Artur GRELA/Przemysław WALASZEK, Szymon MALICKI/Tomasz TOMASZUK

Mixed Double

 Marek BADOWSKI/Natalia BAJOR – Tomasz KOTOWSKI/Katarzyna WĘGRZYN 3:1 (11:9, 11:3, 4:11, 11:7)

Bronze madals: Tomasz LEWANDOWSKI/Paulina KRZYSIEK, Samuel KULCZYCKI/Zuzanna WIELGOS