Seven weeks ago, Bartosz Losiak broke his foot in Itapema. It meant the Pole sat out two tournaments – including his home event in Warsaw.
But the defender is showing no signs of injury at this year’s World Championships as he and teammate Piotr Kantor won all three of their Pool G matches to top the pool and advance automatically as one of the top-seeded teams in the elimination stage.
Having almost missed the competition after the incident in Brazil in May, Losiak is thrilled with the performance the team has shown in such a short time.
“I think it’s a very good thing that after Itapema we’ve won our first three matches at this tournament – I don’t want to think about my injury, that’s in the past now,” said the 27-year-old.
“In our last two tournaments in Hamburg we have finished third and fourth – I now want to stay until Sunday. There’s about 10 teams who can win gold and I think we are one of them.”
It was touch-and-go whether Losiak would even make Hamburg such was the extent of his injury – sustained after colliding with Piotr in Itapema.
“An hour after the semi-final in Brazil I couldn’t walk,” he explained. “We didn’t play the bronze medal match and I missed the next two tournaments. We were not sure if I could make it here but I worked really hard with the physiotherapist and all the preparation was to get me fit for this tournament.
“It’s been so far so good for us, and now it’s the elimination round. Lose and you’re going home – and we don’t want to just yet.”
Joining them in the elimination round as pool winners were countrymen Michal Bryl and Grzegorz Fijalek after the number two seeds beat Edgars Tocs and Martins Plavins in three sets in Pool B.
“That was a tough game, we had beaten them six times before and then they beat us in Warsaw two weeks ago so,” explained Fijalek. “Our aim was to be first in the pool, that’s what we concentrated on. We were a bit nervy to start with but it got a little easier as it went on.
“We only have positive memories of Hamburg after the silver medal here last year and we’re here at the best tournament in the world aiming to win.
“We’ve played some good beach volleyball this season and we’re in good shape. If we can stay consistent, focus on ourselves then I believe we can do well.”
