For several years, he has been not only a national team member, but also a referee. After classes, he puts on a kimono and trains kata at the Budokan Wrocław club. He manages to combine his studies in the field of Information Technology in Automation Systems with his passion for sports.

Not many 20-year-olds have such a regular daily schedule as Piotr Iwaszkiewicz does. In addition, his schedule is planned several months in advance. A typical day for the first-year student of Information Technology in Automation Systems, who has been training karate intensively for 12 years, is more less as follows:

– It all depends on what time I have classes. Today I got up at 7:00 to do some training before our interview. In a moment I need to go to my classes. After classes, I come back home, eat lunch, pack and go to the club for the afternoon training – says Piotr Iwaszkiewicz. – I come back, eat dinner, study and go to sleep. Everything is organized and scheduled down to the minute.  

For some, such a life would be too monotonous. For others – too intense. Not everyone would be able to cope. Piotr Iwaszkiewicz is doing well, and... is quite successful.

– Yes, it is undoubtedly intense, so you have to love what you do. Because good results require a sacrifice. There is little free time, little time to go out with friends, but sport is my passion. I love what I’m doing – adds our Polish karate national team member with a smile.

From after-school classes to the world championships

It started simply. When Piotr Iwaszkiewicz was 6 and started school, his parents signed him up for additional karate classes. It was supposed to be just a free-time activity after school. Over time, it turned out that the little fighter had a talent for the eastern martial art. He started to participate in tournaments and gradually developed a more professional approach. Four years ago, the teenager from Wroclaw was selected as a member of the national team. He took part in the European cadet and junior championships in the U21 category, and is currently a member of the senior national team on behalf of the Polish Karate Union – Polish Sports Association. 

– My best result was 5th place at the European Junior Championships. As a senior, I already competed at the senior world championships – individually and as a team in Budapest in October 2023. Most recently, two weeks ago, I competed at the European Senior Karate Championships in Zadar. We finished in the 7th place – says Piotr Iwaszkiewicz. – This result will qualify us for the World Team Championships, held on 22-24 November in Pamplona, Spain, but we are still waiting for the official list (only 20 teams from around the world will qualify).

A week after the European Championships, he went to another international competition. This time, in the U21 category, he competed individually in the Karate 1 Youth League in Spain. “Unfortunately, I was eliminated in the first round, after a fight with a Greek competitor. The point difference was small, but in favour of the opponent – says the representative of the
Budokan Wrocław club.

We have to be the best

However, there is no time to dwell on failures. You have to constantly try to secure your place in the national team. As our student explains, the team composition changes depending on the results. “If someone is better than me, they go to the competition. So I have to be the best in Poland and achieve the best results abroad to get to the next competition,” he says. He adds that there are plenty of opportunities to confirm your level: qualifying tournaments, ranking competitions in the WKF federation, ranking competitions in Poland, Polish championships and international competitions.   

To get the best results, Piotr Iwaszkiewicz trains six days a week, at the club, at the gym and in his... garage.

– In the club, I have a great coach – Maciej Jędruszka, who is also the head coach of the Polish team in kata, and in the gym I am also run online by a great trainer – Piotr Szumiło, who is also a motor preparation coach at Pogoń Szczecin – adds Piotr Iwaszkiewicz.

He regularly goes to training camps and takes part in competitions. Sometimes it's every week. How do you combine your sports career with your studies?

– Sometimes it's hard – admits our student. – But the teachers are really understanding and help me combine my passion with studies. I participate in classes with other groups. I try to learn regularly, before classes, on the tram, after training, whenever I find time. And of course on trips. I go on many trips, because I am also a referee in various competitions.

Kata beats kumite

He successfully combines studying with his passion for sports, but sometimes he needs to make difficult choices. He says that it is impossible to fully focus on everything and be equally good in every field, which is why he had to choose: kata or kumite.

– At the beginning, I trained both kata and kumite, but at some point I had to decide. I chose kata, i.e. the movements – says Piotr Iwaszkiewicz. – It's like fighting with a shadow, although I always imagine I'm fighting a real opponent. Individual sets are practiced thousands of times. In team competitions the stress is on perfect coordination, synchronization, dynamics, and strength.

Especially since kata involves fighting with not only imaginary but also real opponents, i.e. the so-called bunkai. – In medal fights there is something called bunkai, when we fight in three and use kata elements. We present them in the form of a fight against each other. There are a lot of throws, kicks and hand punches – admits Piotr Iwaszkiewicz.

His biggest sports-related dream? “Olympic games, although now karate has been dropped from the Olympic program. My biggest dream is of course to become world champion. I follow many karate athletes, mainly Japanese, because they are the best in the world. I also hope that one day I will be able to fly to a competition in Japan – he replies.