By Caoilte de Barra
Magdalena Czaban was one of the most spoken-about athletes heading into the 2022 European Championships. Having won gold in the European Championships on two previous occasions, that came with some pressure.
This time around, she jumped up to strawweight, one of the most competitive divisions in the tournament and had three hard bouts in as many days, all of which went the distance. Reflecting on the decision to move up, she was pleased with the decision.
“I think it was a really good idea to go up because I had three fights, not only one or two, like at atomweight. So, it’s really good to have that experience. And I had nine rounds. It’s hard to do that in one year. And I did that in one tournament.
“We want those hard rounds. And because of that, I got to test myself.”
In the moments following the gold medal win, Czaban had not digested the emotions of winning a hat trick of European gold medals but was delighted with the win following three days where she was tested to the max. She credited the tournaments for helping her get the experience in order to develop as an athlete.
“IMMAF has had a big role in my life because it’s really hard to get three fights in a year. And I had that in one tournament. So, that experience that I get here. It’s really important for me. I think that the IMMAF tournaments are the best place to get that experience.”
Stowarzyszenie MMA Polska President Martin Lewandowski added how proud he was of the strawweight gold medalist and the entire team after creating history at the event.
“She is just amazing, and She did it again! I am truly proud of her and the MMA Poland Team, including her main coach Kamil Zawarski, and also Michał Mankiewicz, and Szymon Bońkowski. She is motivated, focused on the goal and very ambitious. That’s a champion’s character, and this is what Magda is, a true champ! Professional MMA in Poland is on the highest level, but amateur MMA, from my perspective, has just begun. And thanks to people like Magda, who is the perfect example for future generations of female fighters.”
