Poland pins its hopes on ski jumpers as winter Olympics start
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
09.02.2018 13:00
The 23rd Winter Olympic Games officially started on Friday in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with Poland looking to its ski jumpers to bring home medals.
Zbigniew Bródka carries the national colours as Polish athletes take part in the opening ceremony of the winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot
The opening ceremony of the Olympics took place at noon Polish time, with President Andrzej Duda and Sports Minister Witold Bańka on the spot to watch athletes taking part in a parade followed by millions across the globe.
Speedskater Zbigniew Bródka carried the red-and-white Polish national flag in the ceremony.
Poland is sending a contingent of 62 athletes to the Games, which run until February 25.
The country was represented by 59 athletes at the previous winter Olympics four years ago.
Polish officials have named ski jumping as the country's biggest chance for honours in South Korea.
Fireworks go off behind the Olympic Flame as it is lit during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Games on Friday. Photo: EPA/CHRISTIAN BRUNA
Bańka has said it is realistic to expect that this time Polish athletes will bring home two to three medals.
Poland won six medals -- four gold, one silver and one bronze -- during the previous winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in 2014, Poland's best Olympic Winter Games tally.
The first ski jumping medals are up for grabs on Saturday: the men’s individual normal hill competition starts at 1:35pm Polish time.
Poland’s Kamil Stoch finished second and his countryman Dawid Kubacki came third in Thursday’s qualifiers for the competition.
(pk/gs)
Source: PAP