The Polish Institute of Sport’s methodical team, employing an algorithm developed by former president of the Polish Athletics Association and mathematics Ph.D. Jurek Skucha, forecasts 13 potential medal chances for Polish athletes at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Bogdan Gryczuk, the team’s coordinator, explains that this calculation derives from the performances of Polish athletes in major events in 2023 and 2024, with varying levels of probability assigned to each chance.
Sporting Disciplines with High Hopes
Laying out the statistical groundwork, Gryczuk highlights athletics and kayaking as areas with the highest prospects, with hammer thrower Wojciech Nowicki deemed the most promising contender. Besides Nowicki, the team places faith in tennis star Iga Świątek, the volleyball team, climber Aleksandra Mirosław, rowers, kayakers, swimmer Katarzyna Wasick, shooter Klaudia Breś, and sailor Paweł Tarnowski.
Among those with moderate prospects are cyclists Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka, the tennis mixed doubles featuring Iga Świątek and Hubert Hurkacz, hammer throwers Anita Włodarczyk and Paweł Fajdek, sprinter Natalia Kaczmarek, and potentially one of the 4x400m relays.
Challenges Ahead
While the forecast paints an encouraging picture, Gryczuk reminds that not all predictions materialize. However, he remains open to the possibility of unexpected triumphs, akin to past underdog victories in Atlanta and Tokyo. As the Olympic Games approach, Polish athletes stand poised to showcase their skills and potentially exceed expectations on the world stage.