Adam Małysz before the Four Hills: cautious about Poland’s form despite a key positive

Poland’s jumpers rebounded from weak training jumps to advance en masse through qualifying for the opening Four Hills Tournament competition in Oberstdorf. Asked whether the improved showing justifies fans’ optimism, Polish Ski Association (PZN) president Adam Małysz urged caution.

Małysz pointed out that while Kamil Stoch was the best Pole in qualifying, 14th place "is not a super result," even if it signals progress. He felt Kacper Tomasiak could have placed higher and that Maciej Kot looked solid, while Piotr Żyła and Paweł Wąsek were below expectations. Still, he believes all Poles drawn in Monday’s KO pairs—Maciej Kot vs Paweł Wąsek, Kacper Tomasiak vs Niko Kytösaho, Kamil Stoch vs Tomofumi Naito, and Piotr Żyła vs Artti Aigro—are capable of reaching the final, with the Polish head‑to‑head ideally yielding one winner and one lucky loser.

Małysz reflected on a broader generational shift in ski jumping: established names like Karl Geiger and Andreas Wellinger are being challenged by younger Germans such as Philipp Raimund and Stephan Embacher. For Poland, he welcomed the emergence of Tomasiak and noted that another youngster, Dawid Joniak, was close to the podium in the Engelberg Continental Cup, where Dawid Kubacki also stood on the podium the day before.

On Kubacki’s situation, Małysz acknowledged that because Poland did not increase its World Cup quota, Kubacki’s route back into the World Cup line‑up—and thus toward the Olympics—depends on current team members underperforming, something he does not want to prejudge before the Four Hills unfolds. He emphasized patience during the transition, noting that Germany and Slovenia’s successors also needed time to mature.

Overall, Małysz sees a key positive in signs of progress and depth but maintains realistic expectations as the demanding Four Hills Tournament begins.