BUKOWIECKI Konrad

General
DIFFICULT START TO 2021
In early 2021 he suffered a back injury, underwent toe surgery and tested positive for COVID-19. "It was not a good start to the year. First, a back injury, then a big toe fracture. It was a shame training had been going well but it was all for nothing. It's the first time I have required surgery, so it's the worst injury of my life. I hope that I have already used my limit of bad luck before the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo." (przegladsportowy.pl, 17 Mar 2021; polsatsport.pl, 09 Mar 2021; tvp.pl, 03 Mar 2021)

FATHER AS COACH
He admits that the athlete-coach relationship with his father Ireneusz Bukowiecki has improved the longer they have worked together. "In the beginning we had misunderstandings and even some big arguments, but it was because we were always together. We lived together, trained together and went for camps and competitions together. When I started living alone I realised that my dad only wants the best for me so, if he points something out, even the smallest technical detail during training, it's because he wants me to be better and to eliminate this mistake. It took me some time to understand this, but the arguments became very rare and shorter. It is a pity to waste time on such quarrels, especially among family." (rp.pl, 14 Nov 2019; przegladsportowy.pl, 30 May 2017)

PUBLIC REPRIMAND
He tested positive for the banned substance higenamine at the 2016 U20 World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He claimed the positive test was caused by a nutritional supplement that did not list higenamine among its ingredients. The IAAF issued him a public reprimand and disqualified his results at the tournament, which included a gold medal in shot put, but did not impose a period of ineligibility. (insidethegames.biz, 05 Jun 2017; worldathletics.org, 01 Apr 2017; sportsintegrityinitiative.com, 13 Sep 2016)