Piotr Chmiel: My brother is my personal favorite 25.06.2010
The current Championship is notable for an especially outstanding performance of Polish athletes from the Rzeszov University of Technology the Pawel and Piotr Chmiels. The kazan2013.com correspondent managed to catch the brothers in a break of the competitions and ask them a few questions.
How did you start your table tennis careers?
Pawel: When we were kids our dad showed us how to play this game and we liked it so much that it became our hobby.
Piotr: We also went in for karate and we were fond of it but it’s a rather traumatic sports and we made up our mind to stick to table tennis and develop in this direction. We’ve been playing table tennis for 10 years already. It’s our lifestyle now.
Do you compete together at the championships?
Pawel: In Polish tournaments we mainly compete together. In the Polish Super League for example we cannot play doubles, we play doubles only at the Polish championships. Last year I went to the European Championship in Stuttgart (Germany) as a member of the national team alone.
Who is stronger among you?
Piotr: It’s hard to say explicitly: sometimes me, sometimes Pawel. Everything is quite ambiguous in sports and happy-go-lucky.
Pawel: We have nearly similar table tennis technique and tactics.
Is table tennis popular in Poland?
Pawel: Like all over the world Poland pays greater attention to football. We play football at weekends as well. We have foosball leagues but it’s more like entertainment like bowling for example.
What are your expectations from the ongoing tournament and who are your favorites?
Pawel: Firstly I expect to win men’s singles, secondly to win as many medals as possible in all the events.
Piotr: My brother is my personal favorite!
What’s your impression of Kazan?
Pawel: It’s a very beautiful and unusual city. Insanely beautiful mosques, churches, intricate architecture…
Do you know that there is the Sts Paul and Peter Cathedral in Kazan?
Pawel: Really? We haven’t been there yet.
Piotr: We’ll surely visit it!
What can you say about the tournament management and what would you wish to the 2013 Universiade organisers?
Piotr: The management was at high level. Comfortable sports area, excellent hotel, very nice volunteers (We would have been lost without our volunteer Ruslan!). We’ll try to come to you in 2013 but we don’t know in what capacity.
Good luck!
