2026 Winter Olympics: Natalia Czerwonka 15th in 1500m Race

The 1500m competition at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo brought Polish fans many emotional moments, though no additional medals were added to the collection. Natalia Czerwonka, a multiple world championship medalist and silver medalist from Sochi, symbolically bid farewell to the ice with her performance on her signature distance. The speed skater finished the race with the 15th fastest time, admitting after the start that the emotions accompanying her final appearance were immense. The Polish flag bearer did not hide her tears, emphasizing that she had fulfilled her sporting dreams and was proud of her professional journey. In the women's competition, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong from the Netherlands proved unbeatable, finishing ahead of Ragne Wiklund and Valerie Maltais. The day before on the Milan track, there was a major surprise in the men's event. The American favorite Jordan Stolz had to concede to Chinese skater Zhongyan Ning, who set a new Olympic record. The Polish representative, Vladimir Semirunnij, took a solid 10th place. The silver medalist in the 10,000m proved he can compete with the top skaters even on distances that are not his specialty. The Polish speed skating school celebrated its greatest triumphs in 2014 during the Sochi Olympics. At that time, Zbigniew Bródka won gold in the 1500m, and both the women's and men's teams stood on the podium, which remains a benchmark for subsequent generations to this day. Interesting scenes unfolded in the mixed zone and in the stands. A Dutch journalist did not recognize Zbigniew Bródka, who now works as a TVP expert, sparking a wave of comments on social media. Meanwhile, Vladimir Semirunnij declared that he plans to donate his silver medal won in Italy to a public institution, likely in Tomaszów Mazowiecki or Warsaw. The athlete wants to thank for the support he received after obtaining Polish citizenship. The white-and-red team still has the final mass start events, which will be the concluding highlight of the speed skating competitions. „Very strong emotions, and I had to carry them on my shoulders. I have fulfilled my dreams.” — Natalia Czerwonka „It was a really good technical run. I am always proud of myself, regardless of the result.” — Vladimir Semirunnij Media focus on the sentimental farewell of Natalia Czerwonka and highlight her contributions to Polish sport. | Commentators point to the lack of further medals and the need to invest in successors for the current team.