Just a month ago there were discussions about whether he would even be in the squad for the most important event of the quadrennium. Today Pawel Wasek returns to Poland as a runner-up in a major international competition. The WIŚNIOWSKI brand ambassador together with Kacper Tomasiak won silver in the Milano Cortina 2026 duo competition. This is one of the most unobvious and moving stories of the entire competition.
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A season full of question marks
The 26-year-old ski jumper from Cieszyn struggled for a long time to find a place in the national team. During the World Cup season, he scored less frequently, lacked stability, and his nomination aroused sports debates. More points were scored by, among others, Piotr Zyla and Maciej Kot.
The beginning of the competition was not easy either - a distant place on the normal hill and a poor result of the national team in the mixed competition did not promise a breakthrough.
However, this one came.
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The decision that changed everything
After the competition was moved to the large hill, Wasek clearly regained his confidence. His 14th place in the individual competition confirmed his growing form. The training staff bet on him - instead of Polish jumping legend Kamil Stoch - in a duo with the speeding Tomasiak.
It was a courageous decision. And, as it turned out, a medal-winning one.
Silver won with character
In the duo competition, Wasek showed three even, strong jumps: 133.5m, 129.5m and 129m. Tomasiak's great performance and a dramatic final - with the cancellation of the third round due to a snowstorm - sealed the historic success. Poland reached for the silver medal.
Well, it's amazing, it still hasn't occurred to me that it's all settled like this (...) we're just going to be happy," said Pawel Wasek right after the competition.
Huge emotions also accompanied his relatives.
For me as Pawel's mother this is a great joy, a great pride," emphasized Grazyna Wasek.
My brother's medal, a silver one, these are incredible emotions," said Katarzyna Wąsek, sister and manager of the athlete.
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Ustroń welcomed its medalist
The return to his hometown of Ustroń had a unique setting. A specially prepared stage, crowds of residents, representatives of the city authorities, the WSS Wisla club, partners and fans, who kept their fingers crossed for the medalist throughout the competition, awaited him at the market square.
Among those welcoming him was WIŚNIOWSKI marketing director Monika Młynarczyk. The brand has been accompanying Pawel for years, not only as a sponsor, but as a partner showing the behind-the-scenes of his journey. In the Eurosport documentary "Paweł Wąsek. Jump for Dreams" she emphasized:
Sport is first and foremost about emotions, and these emotions are what our cooperation with Paweł provides us with. The ideal WIŚNIOWSKI brand ambassador is a person who strives for excellence, is modest, open-minded, consistent - and we found all these values in Pawel.
The silver medal only confirmed the validity of these words - both in the sporting dimension and in the context of a long-term partnership based on shared values.
For more information, visit the company's WIŚNIOWSKI page on the AiB portal
