PIEKARSKA-TWARDOCHEL Magdalena

Personal Information

Family Husband Pawel

Occupation Athlete

Languages English, Polish

Higher education Law - Lazarski University: Warsaw, POL

License number 28111986000

Club

Upcoming Events

Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? She began fencing at school at age 12.

Why this sport? One of her teachers told her mother that Magdalena's physique, as well as the fact that she was left-handed, meant she was perfect for fencing.

Club / Team AZS AWF Warszawa: Poland

Name of coach Bartlomiej Jezyk [national], POL

Handedness Left

General Interest

Nicknames Magda, Pieksa (Facebook page, 09 Jul 2018)

Memorable sporting achievement Winning gold in team epee at the 2019 European Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany. (kierunektokio.pl, 31 Jan 2020)

Most influential person in career Her parents. (sukcespisanyszminka.pl, 23 Oct 2015)

Sporting philosophy / motto "Nothing is impossible, there are only things that require a little effort." (polskieradio.pl, 31 Jul 2017)

Awards and honours In 2011 she was presented with the Gold Cross of Merit in Poland. (Facebook page, 14 Mar 2016)

Ambitions To win gold in team epee at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (sport.pl, 11 Apr 2021)

Other information CANCER SURVIVOR
In January 2018 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. In August 2018 she was declared cancer-free, and resumed training two weeks after her final chemotherapy cycle. "It brought me and my husband closer together and taught us to appreciate the little things even more, and at the same time not to worry about every little thing. And finally, it reminded us that health is most important and everything else can be bought or borrowed. Paradoxically, the illness gave me more than it took, and every day I appreciate that I am alive and get to do what I love." (chloniak.org, 01 Sep 2018)

COVID-19 IMPACT
While she trained at home during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, her husband Pawel acted as an opponent. "I would dress my husband in my fencing gear and would use him as a live target. He did not allow me to do this too often, because the outfit was too tight for him and he could hardly breathe. I also hung a mask or a tennis ball in various places and hit it. Or I would just do footwork training. In addition to fencing, I used the lockdown mainly for cardio and mental training and for improving my balance." (sport.pl, 11 Apr 2021)