In the ring and in the lab
How to combine successes in sport and at university? Like Dominik Grzęda, who took third place in the kickboxing competition during the European Universities Games, while on the everyday basis he is also working on his doctorate at our Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering.
It is worth mentioning that the gold medal Dominik Grzęda won was in a nonstandard division for him (up to 86 kg). He usually appears in a different division (up to 91 kg), and in a slightly different, also ring kick-boxing formula, the so-called low-kick. In the European Universities Games, he could not take part in it, because it was not on the competition program.
– As for my participation, I do not consider it a success – despite winning the medal, Dominik Grzęda is not satisfied with his performance. – My body did not tolerate the loss of such an amount of weight very well, which meant that in the ring I lacked, above all, strength and dynamism.
Our PhD student is not only a kickboxer, but also a coach. He has been involved in this sport for 15 years. Recently, sports passion has been combined with research passion.
Polyurethane foams under a magnifying glass
– At the University, I deal mainly with polyurethane foams, although with more projects and cooperation of various sorts I have been involved in, the scope of my materials interests is constantly growing – says Dominik Grzęda. – My PhD thesis concerns the viscoelastic version of polyurethane foam, which can most often be found in mattresses and armchairs. The foams, which will be developed as part of my doctoral research, will find a lot of potential applications in medicine, because initially, together with the help of my supervisor, Prof. Joanna Ryszkowska, we will want to increase their biocompatibility and also give them bactericidal properties.
Dominik Grzęda admits that he found himself at Materials Science Engineering Faculty a bit accidentally.
– I knew I wanted to do things that were innovative, albeit this may perhaps sound now rather amusing.
Initially, he had planned to study at the Military University of Technology, and to be precise – at the Explosives and Pyrotechnics, but due to health problems it proved impossible.
– I started further research and came across a number of articles – says the WUT doctoral student. – At that time, it was widely reported that a bulletproof vest based on non-Newtonian liquid had been developed at the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering. I thought it was a great prospect for development, and I applied.
Sports & Research
Are the knowledge and skills acquired at the WUT useful in sports? Or maybe something from kick-boxing can be transferred to work at the University?
– When it comes to what happens in the ring, I did not have the opportunity to learn the skills of using fists or legs at the University – jokes our doctoral student.
And, quite seriously, he adds:
– Of course, while learning, my so-called ring IQ improved, I also found justified explanations in some movements – he explains. – And outside the ring, thanks to the knowledge gained from studies and my own training, I know how individual types and layers work in gloves and other protectors, used not only in kick-boxing.
Our doctoral student also learns about the disadvantages of the equipment used.
– I believe a moment will come soon when I will be able to combine sport with my work at the University through attempts to develop more effective protective equipment for various disciplines, not only kick-boxing.
Next steps?
Dominik Grzęda definitely intends to associate his future with research, but he does not abandon dreams and sports challenges.
– I have spent more than half of my life in sports and regular competitions at national and international level – he admits. – Apart from the health consequences and the exhaustion of the body, the priorities change slowly with age. I had the ambition to compete in the Olympic Games, but kick-boxing was still not on their agenda, and if that shoudl change, it will be too late for me. I still want to win the title of world champion, and I think it is absolutely within my grasp. Even in the last championship, this could have been achieved with greater favor of the judges in the fight for the medal zone. When my career ends, I'd like to stick to sports, but I don't know what role to play yet.
This year's European Universities Games (EUG 2022) took place in Łódź and lasted from 17 to 30 July. The event was attended by competitors from 46 European countries who competed in 20 disciplines. Poland turned out to be the best in the medal classification (83 places on the podium, including 24 first places).