Natalia MALISZEWSKA

COVID WOES
Tested positive for COVID-19 on 30 January 2022 and was ruled out from participating at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, but was unexpectedly released from isolation hours before the 500m qualifying race on 5 February. However, she then tested positive again just hours before the race, which saw her denied from competing in the event. (theguardian.com, 7 Feb 2022; eurosport.co.uk, 6 Feb 2022)

LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC
Spent her break from competition focusing more on her family, fiance, and private life. "This time has taught me, above all, that you have to think about what is here and now. It is only worth focusing on this because as we have seen, looking into the future can significantly disturb our plans. I think the pandemic has helped not only my sports but also my private side. I appreciated that my family and the time spent with them were very important.

"I learned above all, like every athlete, to be at home. I learned that I can unpack my suitcase, wash all my things, that I can pack my suitcase into the wardrobe and not take it out for some time. Doing everyday shopping was a complete novelty for me for a long time. Usually, I would only do it for two or three days, because I was always leaving again immediately. It was definitely a big challenge for me. It prepared me to be a future wife." (sport.interia.pl, 19 Jan 2021)

INSPIRING GIRLS
Leads sports lessons in schools as part of the Mistresses in School project run by the Otylia Jedrzejczak Foundation and funded by the Polish Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport to encourage girls to get more involved in sport. She took part in the project in 2019 and 2021, commenting on the latter occasion, "I know that this is a good initiative, a cool event, from which I brought a lot of positive energy last time." (sport.tvp.pl, 10 Jun 2021)

GUARDIAN ANGEL
After her mother died in 2016, she focused even harder on her training. "I had to start training because the season was approaching. Dad and all our friends pushed us to keep our heads busy. Today I know that we have someone at the top who watches over us so that nothing happens to us." (sportowefakty.wp.pl, 9 Feb 2019)

HAPPY TO BE CALLED A KURCZAK
Kurczak is Polish for chicken. "I had long legs as a child, such skinny sticks, and my parents bought me a yellow, down jacket in which I looked like a little chick. It's what my first coach called me. This nickname caught on so much that I do not know how it happened, but to this day I am 'Chicken'. Sometimes I even react more to the name 'Chicken' than when someone calls me 'Natalia', because I know they are definitely talking to me. It's funny because even when I talk about myself I sometimes say, 'Chicken is doing this, or Chicken is doing that'. It's just so widely used. I like it, it helps me return to memories of racing as a child." (sport.onet.pl, 24 Jan 2021, weszlo.com, 24 Nov 2018)

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

Most decorated Polish skater in the history of short track.

First Polish short track skater to win the title of European Champion when she won in Dordrecht, Netherlands in 2019 in the 500m.

First Polish short track skater to win the World Cup and only the fifth Polish athlete to win a World Cup in winter sports when she won the 500m in the 2018/19 season.

First Polish woman to win a short track World Cup gold medal in Calgary in 2018 (500m). Second Polish woman to win a World Cup gold medal in any winter sport, after Justyna Kowalczyk in cross-country skiing.

First Polish short track skater to finish on the podium in a World Cup event.

First Polish woman to win a World Championship medal when she won silver in the women’s 500m in Montreal in 2018.