The whole world is raving about an 18‑year‑old Pole — but there’s a serious risk

Polish prodigy Kacper Tomasiak, just 18 years old, delivered a breakthrough performance with 5th place at the Ski Jumping World Cup in Wisła, earning points for the seventh time in seven individual starts this season. His consistency makes him the most reliable member of the Polish men’s team so far, and only Adam Małysz scored more World Cup points before turning 19 among Polish jumpers.

The spotlight in Wisła belonged to Tomasiak: long lines of reporters and fans sought him out, yet he remained calm and restrained. He admitted to pre‑jump nerves before the second round, calling it one of the most stressful attempts of his career, but said he managed to switch into focus once he sat on the bar. His hallmark is an explosive takeoff—joked about locally as strong enough to rattle glasses at nearby Adam Małysz’s house.

For his 5th place, Tomasiak earned €6,000 (over PLN 24,000). Asked about the money, he coolly said he would prefer to invest it. Veteran teammate Piotr Żyła marveled at the youngster’s composure—“he behaves like he’s more experienced than me”—and teased that Tomasiak now owes the team a beer.

While enthusiasm is high, experts highlight one major concern: whether Tomasiak can cope physically with the grind of top‑level competition throughout the season. Germany’s Martin Schmitt voiced the hope that he “holds up physically.” Tomasiak said he felt fine immediately after Wisła but would better gauge fatigue once adrenaline subsided, adding he expects to recover for the following weekend.

With the next World Cup stop in Klingenthal, head coach Maciej Maciusiak had yet to publish the roster at press time, but Tomasiak is considered a certainty. Beyond the World Cup, the article suggests his name should be one of the first on Poland’s squad list for the Milan–Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.