Berck-Sur-Mer 2018: Photo finish for Justyna Kozdryk

“Photos are a reflection of a great story. It is through them that you can see the emotions everyone experience at a particular moment.”

Justyna Kozdryk will travel to the World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer, France, with two goals in mind.

The Polish powerlifter first wants to reach the top of the podium in the women’s up to 45kg. But apart from the competition, Kozdryk is hoping she can capture the best moments with her camera, combining both her passions for powerlifting and photography.

“Photos are a reflection of a great story. It is through them that you can see the emotions everyone experience at a particular moment,” said Kozdryk, who started taking photos 14 years ago. “I will now surely take my camera with me to France and take lots of pictures.”

The 38-year-old last competed at Mexico City 2017, where she ended in fifth place, her worst performance at a World Championships. She had previously claimed silver in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

“It was my fourth Worlds and the first I did not come back with a medal. I hope I can do better at the 2019 Worlds in Astana, Kazakhstan, and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Time will tell,” she said.

But the two-time European champion is confident she will return to the podium on French soil, even with strong opponents such as Nigeria’s Latifat Tijani, Great Britain’s Zoe Newson and Indonesia’s Ni Nengah Widiasih.

“I think I am well prepared both physically and mentally for the European Open Championships, although sometimes it is difficult to combine both training with my work as a policewoman. I will verify how I am when competition starts,” the Beijing 2008 Paralympic silver medallist said.

“My goal is to win, but every athlete has the same goal so the fight for gold will be fierce.”

More information about Berck-Sur-Mer 2018 can be found on the official website.