Reda and Karpinski on positive path toward Europeans

“When I am standing on the podium and listening to the Polish anthem, I feel as if I wanted to dance again, as if I could see everything from the beginning again.”

The memory of winning gold at the Polish Open is one that home favourites Joanna Reda and Pawel Karpinski will hope to repeat when they return to the same dance floor for November’s European Championships.

The Polish power couple have been dancing together for 13 years, and their gold medal from June’s competition in Lomianki was their second straight victory in the duo Latin class 2 this year.

“When I am standing on the podium and listening to the Polish anthem, I feel as if I wanted to dance again, as if I could see everything from the beginning again,” Reda described.

Karpinski added: “It’s a fantastic feeling. I’ve been dancing for 18 years and still I’m always very happy when I hear that I’m a gold medallist.”

The 2017 World Championship medallists are consistent podium finishers in the duo Latin, as well as the duo standard class 2.

They came into the Polish Open with momentum from their season debut in Germany, where they won both duo events.

After two competitions and two podium finishes , Reda and Karpinski’s will now step up their training with the Europeans only four months away.

“We practice two to three times per week, two hours per day,” Karpinski said. “It depends what kind of Championships we have. If it is a World or European Championships, we practice even more than that.”

The couple will look to defend their European title in the duo Latin. But is it the standard style which appears their biggest challenge, as they took silver last time out in Kosice, Slovakia.

“We will do our best to win,” Karpinski said about the Europeans. “What can I say more?”

The 2018 European Championships will be held in Lomianki, Poland, between 9 and 11 November, featuring 110 athletes from 16 countries.