Kinga Drozdz

Started: She began fencing in the third grade of primary school, and got involved in wheelchair fencing in 2018. "Since I was a child I was very active. When I was in primary school my sports teacher Krzysztof Wator offered me fencing training." (paralympic.org.pl, 01 Jun 2021) Reason: "After 12 years of non-Para fencing I suffered an injury with which I struggled for more than a year. I had to retire, which was one of the most painful decisions in my life. But later I was invited to take up wheelchair fencing. In 2018 I got a message on Facebook. A friend I used to train with asked if she could give my number to her dad, who turned out to be Grzegorz Pluta, a wheelchair fencer who won gold at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. He called and offered to train together. That was the first time I sat in a wheelchair. Out of stress, I tensed my whole body. My main thought was, 'Just don't get out of the chair when you attack'. I didn't, but surprisingly after training, my legs hurt the most." (paralympic.org.pl, 01 Jun 2021; wysokieobcasy.pl, 23 Jan 2021) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Facebook page, 04 Sep 2023) Awards: In 2020 she received the Guttmann Award from the Polish Paralympic Committee as Para Athlete of the Year. (parasportowcy.pl, 02 Dec 2020) Additional Info: TOKYO DISAPPOINTMENT She missed out on a medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo but since the 2020 Games, she has won gold in individual sabre A and team epee at the 2022 European Championships and claimed the individual sabre A title at the 2023 World Championships. "Life creates various scenarios. I didn't win a medal even though at the time of the Paralympics I was in very good physical disposition. This effect was in likelihood caused by a combination of such factors as the end of cooperation with one of my coaches. Personally, I am very impatient so in retrospect, not winning the medal was the best lesson for me." (SportsDeskOnline, 29 Dec 2023; wheelchair-fencing.org, 06 Jul 2022) OCCUPATION In 2018 she began working as an operational coordinator for LOT Polish Airlines. (LinkedIn profile, 29 Nov 2023) FURTHER EDUCATION Between 2017 and 2019 she studied for a master's degree in aviation at the War Studies University in Warsaw, Poland. (LinkedIn profile, 29 Nov 2023)