Wroclaw and Emilia Mackowiak Gear up for Ju-Jitsu World Championships

Wroclaw and Emilia Maćkowiak Gear up for Ju-Jitsu World Championships

Wrocław’s Orbita Hall will play host to the Ju-Jitsu World Championships from 25-27 November. The event figures in the lineup of test events for The World Games 2017 (20- 30 July). More than 450 athletes from 46 countries will fight for one of the 27 titles on the competition programme at the end of November. The World Championships serves also as a qualification event for The World Games next year.

As it is the most important Ju-Jitsu event of the year, the organizers expect at least 500 athletes from 50 countries to participate. It is also a major test for the Orbita Hall venue, that will host martial arts during The World Games 2017. 

Ju-jitsu is still battling for popular recognition in the World Championships  host country, Poland. However, the national team’s recent success is helping the sport to make it to the Polish media headlines. Poland won the overall classification during the previous World Championships in Bangkok. Ju-jitsu proved also to be one of Poland’s more fruitful disciplines in The World Games 2013 in Cali, producing four of the six total medals won. Anna Polok (AKS Chorzów, 70 kg) took home gold, while Martyna Bierońska (Budowlani Sosnowiec, 55kg) and Tomasz Szewczak (OSJ Olsztyn, 94kg) joined Maćkowiak in taking silver.

Polish coach Dariusz Hajewski foresees nine of his protegés (the maximum number permitted a host nation) qualifying for The World Games 2017. Emilia Maćkowiak (WROXGYM Wrocław), a native of Lower Silesia, hopes for success at home. She is the only Wrocław athlete to have had the honor of winning a medal in the last World Games (Cali, Colombia) where she garnered second place in the 70kg weight category. 

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