Record number of sports scholarships from KGHM under the 'Miedziane Rywalizacje' programme

KGHM has inaugurated a new edition of the "Miedziane Rywalizacje" scholarship programme for athletes. As many as 30 athletes from all over Poland will receive financial support. This is the highest number of scholarship recipients since 2019, when the programme was launched. The list of athletes was announced during the official opening of the new KGHM Ślęza Arena athletics hall in Wrocław.

The Speaker of the Sejm, Elżbieta Witek, took part in the opening ceremony of the multi-purpose sports hall in Kłokoczyce in Wrocław. The facility cost PLN 66 million and was made possible thanks to funding from the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, the local government of the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship and the municipality of Wrocław. KGHM became the naming rights sponsor of the hall.

- Today we are in Wrocław to support the passion and commitment of Polish athletes. The joy is double because we are opening a unique athletics hall, which will operate under the patronage of our company, and we are starting the next edition of the KGHM Miedziane Rywalacje scholarship programme. We support the path to success for contestants from all over the country. I know one thing: together we can do anything, we can conquer sporting goals, build characters and skills that will see you reach for victories. KGHM will be your partner on this path," said Tomasz Zdzikot, Chairman of the Management Board of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.

As in previous years, KGHM employees, as well as the inhabitants of the Copper Belt, were invited to draw up a list of scholarship recipients for the Miedziane Rywalizacje programme, and could send their applications to a dedicated e-mail box. Additionally, the programme also gained support from the Ministry of Sport and Tourism and the Ministry of National Defence.

This year's Miedziane Rywalizacje scholarship holders included: rowers Fabian Barański, Mateusz Biskup, Dominik Czaja and Mirosław Ziętarski, athletes who will represent Poland at the Olympic Games next year in Paris: Klaudia Breś (sport shooting), Natalia Kochańska (shooting), Aleksandra Lisowska (marathon), Adrianna Sułek (athletics). KGHM also supports Aleksandra Mirosław, the current world record holder in sports climbing. The scholarship recipients also included kayakers (Przemysław Korsak), athletes (Wojciech Nowicki) and fencers (Julia Walczyk-Klimaszyk).

For the first time, the copper company has also extended the list of scholarship recipients to include people with disabilities. Tomasz Rożniatowski, a veteran of the Afghanistan mission and currently a competitor in the Paralympic taekwondo discipline, also received a scholarship. The contestant was recommended by both the Ministry of National Defense and the Veteran's Centre for Activities Outside Poland, with which KGHM signed a cooperation agreement this year.

The "Miedziane Rywalizacje" scholarship recipients receive financial support from KGHM for their career development. The funds are awarded for outstanding sports achievements and systematic work on gaining and achieving better results in your discipline. Direct funding of talented players is an extremely important part of KGHM's development strategy and corporate social responsibility activities. The scholarship programme runs from 2019. Last year, 27 contestants were honoured, including 14 from Dolny Śląsk.

In addition to its own scholarship programme, KGHM is an active patron of Polish sports. The copper company sponsors important events related to physical activity at the local, national and international level. KGHM is the main sponsor and owner of the KGHM Zagłębie Lubin football club. It financially supports professional volleyball and basketball clubs, as well as amateur teams.

This year, in the Copper Belt KGHM is supporting, among others, women's handball (KGHM MKS Zagłębie Lubin), men's handball (KGHM SPR Chrobry Głogów), women's basketball (KGHM BC Polkowice) or men's volleyball (KGHM SPS Chrobry Głogów). The weightlifters from Polkowice and rugby players from Lubin can also count on the copper giant's involvement. KGHM also cooperates with the ZG Run Sports Club and the "Miedź" Legnica Chess Club.

For years, KGHM has been one of the sponsors of the Piast Run in Jakuszyce. The company supports running events such as the Mine Lamp Run and the Straceńców Cross. It also helps local sports organisations whose members include employees of the KGHM Group. The company in the Copper belt promotes a healthy lifestyle, financially supports the training of children and teenagers, and integrates young players from various parts of the region.