Took better route choice – won gold for Poland
Posted on | July 9, 2011 | Category: Arena
The end of the men’s relay was an incredible moment for the Polish organisers and audience, and a great thriller for everybody present.
Poland had got no medals before the relay, so when the three red-and-white dressed men arrived first at the stadium the audience exploded with joy. The last gold of the championships was taken by the organising nation after an incredible end of the last leg of Michal Olejnik.
The 19-year-old last leg runner of Poland and the Swede Albin Ridefelt made sure no one else had a chance on the last leg, and it was these two athletes who decided the destiny of the gold medal.
On the way to the 17th control they took different route choices.
“Albin ran left from the control. I took the right direction. Why did I do so? Well I felt it looked as the best route choice”, Michal Olejnik says.
At the next control Olejnik didn’t see the Swede. He didn’t know if he was first or second. “Only when I arrived at the stadium I understood that we were going to win”, he smiles.
Riddefelt entered the stadium 23 seconds later.
Also the first two leg runners of the Polish team, Piotr Parfianowicz (17) and Rafael Podzinski (19), ran very well.
The good games couldn’t have had a better end for the organisers. It was an incredible start for the banquet!
Piotr Parfianowicz, Rafael Podzinski and Michael Olejnik did it! Gold for Poland.
Photo: Erik Borg
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