Adam Małysz gave a blunt verdict on Polish stars: "None"

Adam Małysz issued a blunt verdict on the Polish stars: “None”

By Kamil Wolnicki — 5 January 2026

Innsbruck was a sobering contest for Polish ski jumping fans: eighth place from Kacper Tomasiak was the only good news. The rest of the team disappointed. PZN president Adam Małysz didn’t mince words — he spelled out what our stars are missing and what he expects from them. We also asked about the high‑profile case of Paweł Wąsek’s disqualification for banned fluorine on his skis and about the lack of a functioning hill in Zakopane, a problem Dawid Kubacki has often mentioned: he returned home to train and had nowhere to jump. The news here is not good.

“If we ignore another very good performance by Kacper Tomasiak, the conclusions after Innsbruck wouldn’t be pleasant, because the results are poor,” says Kamil Wolnicki.

Adam Małysz: What can I say? Kacper certainly jumps at his level and is stable, while the rest are not jumping well and there are big weaknesses. They’re not as dynamic as the winners. You can see they do too much controlling and not enough risk.

— If today Maciek Maciusiak were to announce the Olympic squad, Kacper would surely be on it — and then Kamil Stoch and Maciek Kot — do you see it differently?

It’s hard to say and I don’t want to decide for him or suggest next steps. Today it’s hard to imagine Kacper not going to the Olympics, but beyond him? None of the other athletes are stable enough to be considered guaranteed.

— So the race will go on until the end.

The problem is that in a race people actually race; here it doesn’t look like that. Kamil is closest — he can jump. In Ga‑Pa his jumps looked much better, but in Innsbruck energy was missing. The jumps can look technically nice but there isn’t the right take‑off impulse to carry the flight. So it’s hard to draw firm conclusions. Among ours, Kacper jumps in another league: stability, repeatability, and the psychological ability to handle it at such a young age.

“When I talk about anyone other than Kacper, it makes me want to write the headline: ‘Małysz throws up his hands.’”

Looking at the situation, fans, journalists and the athletes themselves often throw up their hands. The guys jump for a different purpose than what is required now — Dawid, Kamil or Maciek are jumpers who aim far higher than the top ten. Yet we watch competitions and wonder if they’ll even make the second round.

What Małysz expects from the stars

— And they don’t always make it.

In Innsbruck Dawid did make it, though you could say he had some luck, even if his first jump was better. But again: there’s no stability like Kacper’s.

— Tomasiak is already close to the podium.

Very close. Once he gets a bit more over his skis after take‑off, his speed in the second flight phase will improve, he’ll stop collapsing toward landing and he’ll fight for the podium. It’s only a matter of time.

— Tough topics return. The coach will decide, but before the jumpers there’s the World Cup in Sapporo and the ski‑flying world championships. Should the athletes we consider Olympic candidates fly to Japan? Flying events can upset one’s rhythm.

Sapporo is usually unpredictable — wind and snow change. Flying is special: if you don’t jump well, I don’t believe it will be better on the hills for flying. Maybe you’d sacrifice one to prepare for the other; perhaps train calmly and skip Sapporo, or go to Japan and then pass on flying. It’s a tough decision.

— You could end up sacrificing both.

For experienced jumpers — Kamil, Dawid, Maćek and Piotrek Żyła — they should discuss it among themselves. They’re 35–38 years old and have the experience to feel their bodies and talk with the coach about what’s best. I know Piotrek won’t want to skip flying. I won’t give orders — that would just be my opinion from experience.

— I’d probably skip something myself.

I would skip or adjust some competitions in order to train. But sometimes athletes prefer to work on elements during competitions to reach form, and that’s okay — they must feel it themselves.

The truth about the Zakopane hill

— Where are they supposed to train? Dawid Kubacki returned home to work quietly and had nowhere to jump, because Zakopane’s hill doesn’t operate properly even in winter with snow. So what’s its point — photo‑ops for tourists?

We explained that the ministry has stepped in. We signed an agreement with COS, things looked promising, we launched a tender, but the hill still isn’t ready. The period to set protective nets when natural snow fell was missed; the hill then suffered. On Saturday the B squad jumped there for the first time. I won’t complain more, but despite the agreement little changed. I cannot forbid coaches or athletes from complaining when the situation is like this.

“A fluor affair”. Małysz expects explanations

— There’s no form yet, and too much noise about the Polish team and the disqualification of Paweł Wąsek for forbidden fluorine found on his skis.

Not only I was surprised, but everyone was. When fluorine was banned we removed all brushes, waxes, scrapers and cleaned service cars. I was shocked to hear why Paweł was disqualified.

— Could someone be trying to gain an advantage?

I don’t believe that the service would do something like that knowingly. The service staff know the consequences. Matthias Hefele checks equipment randomly and thoroughly and we see results: disqualifications for too wide skis or trousers off by three millimetres. I would be astonished if our team had intentionally used illicit wax. We will investigate and demand explanations.

— Will you contact the producer?

If something in the wax was to blame, we’ll contact the manufacturer — but proving it is another matter. I’m waiting for the coaches and the service team to explain whether they have FIS confirmation that it was that wax. I don’t want to accuse anyone without evidence.

— Bischofshofen next — a strange hill with an unusually long take‑off. Any thoughts?

It’s a hill for flyers; I think Kamil should jump better there. Kacper must do his job. Dawid needs to stabilise position — he once set records there but if he can’t stabilise that element it will be hard. Maciek needs higher repeatability, which he has shown this season. No tricks: stability and risk. I’m a bit disappointed our jumpers don’t risk more despite weak jumps. What do they have to lose when things are already as they are?

— Be sure to follow the action. We’ll be watching Bischofshofen closely.

Source: Przegląd Sportowy Onet

Tags: Adam Małysz, Kacper Tomasiak, Kamil Stoch, Dawid Kubacki, Piotr Żyła, Paweł Wąsek, Zakopane, Innsbruck, Sapporo, Bischofshofen, Turniej Czterech Skoczni