How far can a ski jumper fly?

Despite�a�bright�and�warm�summer�in�Poland,�European�Football�Championships�and�a�visible�excitement�of�the�soon�forthcoming�Olympic�Games�in�Brazil,�let�me�throw back�a�little�to�the�winter in 1920 when�Poland�organized�its�first�championships�in�ski�jumping. Ski�jumping?! One�may�ask�while�trying�to�imagine�a�person�wearing�skis�and�desperately�attempting�to�take�off�a�flat�and�snowy�ground.�Close,�but�not�exactly. Ski�jumping�is�an�absolutely�fascinating�and�not�rarely�thrilling�winter�discipline�(although�nowadays�modern�technologies�allow�the�sportsmen�to�perform�also�in�summer),�which�involves�a�jumper�who�speeds�up�on�a�huge�slope�situated�on�a�high�hill�and�takes�off�at�the�edge�of�the�slope�in�order�to�fly�as�long�as�possible�and�try�to�land�further�than�his�competitors. And�this�is�how�it�looks�like As�I�have�already�mentioned,�Polish�ski�jumpers�participate�in�national�and�foreign�competitions�since�1920’s.�Before�the�WWII,�one�of�the�most�popular�sportsmen�was�Stanis?aw�Marusarz,�who�in�1938�won�a�silver�medal�during�the�World�Championships.�In�the�following�years�Polish�ski�jumpers�were�still�a�stable�and�difficult�to�conquer�power,�regularly�warmed�up�by�such�successes�like�the�longest�jump�in�the�World�performed�by�Piotr�Fijas�in�1987�and�undefeated�until�1994.�However,�the�best�was�yet�to�come. In�1995�his�debut�had�young�Adam�Ma?ysz,�who�later�became�an�absolute�symbol�of�an�invincible�sportsmen�and�a�hero�of�the�entire�country.�Among�other�significant�awards,�Ma?ysz�won�4�Olympic�medals,�6�World�Championships��medals�(including�4�gold�ones!),�he�also�became�a�4�times�winner at the�FIS�Ski�Jumping�World�Cup�and,�finally,�in�2001,�as�the�only�Pole�in�history,�he�won�a�prestigious�Four�Hills�Tournament.�Adam�Ma?ysz�s�victories�which�lasted�for�the�whole�decade�caused�a�huge�national�interest�in�the�entire�discipline�and�led�to�the�huge�crowd�of�proud�Polish�fans�following�our�ski�jumping�team�from�one�competition�to�another.�So-called�mania�around�the�person�of�Ma?ysz�became�a�widely�recognized�phenomenon�and�the�jumper�himself�became�a�celebrity.�It�is�worth�mentioning�that�the�heritage�of�Adam�Ma?ysz�earned�a�worthy�successor,�as�a�current�leading�representative�Kamil�Stoch�has�already�won�two�gold�medals�in�World�Championships,�2�gold�Olympic�medals�and�a�World�Cup!

Kabaddi- India’s Own Game

There is no consensus as to the origins of the word Kabaddi. The word Kabaddi might have been derived from the Tamil word �kai-pidi� meaning �to hold hands�. However, the word might have been prevalent in North India, which was adopted when the All India Kabaddi Federation was formed. There are many rules, which govern these games, different to regions and regions.