Poland's ski jumpers aim to soar in Beijing

WARSAW－The Polish ski jumping team has made glory at next year's Beijing Winter Olympics its No 1 priority for the forthcoming season.

Ski jumping legend Adam Malysz, now the sport director of the Polish Ski Association (PZN), believes his country's current crop of athletes, coached by Michal Dolezal, are equipped to cope with the pressure that awaits at Beijing 2022.

"Our athletes have rarely been off the podium for some time now, so it is difficult to demand something else. The expectations will be high and they have to be met, which will not be easy. On the other hand, the athletes know what they can do," Malysz was quoted by Polish newspaper Przeglad Sportowy on Monday.

"Of course the main events are always taken into account. There are Olympic competitions this season, so we are putting the emphasis on them. On the way, however, there is the Four Hills Tournament and the competitions in Wisla and Zakopane. You approach each competition professionally and you want to do well, and this attitude helps you to do your job in the main event," Malysz added.

The Polish ski jumping team is packed full of experience, with Kamil Stoch a four-time Olympic medalist, and Dawid Kubacki the winner of two World Cup golds. But Malysz, 43, has cautioned against singling anyone out as the favorite for gold in Beijing next year.

"When you achieve good results, you know that everything goes well. In case of problems, it is much more difficult. However, the experienced athlete believes that he will deal with it and achieve success. Kamil Stoch, Dawid Kubacki, Piotr Zyla and Stefan Hula know that very well. Experience is a very important factor," Malysz said.

"There are some favorites but I'd be a fool to rule out the rest of the guys. Many Polish ski jumpers do well, not quite as good as the best ones, but are also at a high level. I would have to be a fortune-teller to say who will compete in Beijing. Ski jumping is a very unpredictable sport and anything is possible."