Polish Gymnastics Association has announced its plans to use a new video verification system ©Getty Images

The Polish Gymnastic Association (PGA) has announced it has joined a number of international gymnastics federations planning to use sophisticated video verification system developed by long-time official scorer and online streaming provider RELL.

The new RELLvar system will record footage from seven cameras or more simultaneously and it will be fully integrated with the RELLscore scoring and data handling system.

Inquiries of the score will be submitted electronically with all information being displayed on the screens.

"We asked RELL to develop a technology that will facilitate the handling of score inquiries and provide tools to maximize the objectivity of the entire process," Adriana Szymańska, PGA's vice-president and the head of its rhythmic gymnastics section, said.

"Our experience from the first edition of the Rhythmic Gymnastics Poland Cup and the qualification for the National Youth Olympics, during which we used the RELLvar system, show that this solution allows for the re-assessment of routines in a way that leaves practically no objections."

Konrad Żurkowski, the owner of RELL, added the company is pleased to have had "a small share in the development of Poland’s rhythmic gymnastics" and that "further technological solutions are under way".

Liliana Lewińska is a rising star among Polish gymnastics after winning numerous events in the last two years ©PGA / Adrian Kopaczko
Liliana Lewińska is a rising star among Polish gymnastics after winning numerous events in the last two years ©PGA / Adrian Kopaczko 

Polish rhythmic gymnastics has recently enjoyed greater success thanks to the emergence of Liliana Lewińska on the international stage last year.

The 14-year-old has regularly swept through International Gymnastics Federation’s (FIG) major junior competitions by taking gold or silver medals.

This year, she became the champion of the FIG International Tournament Sofia Cup in all-around, ball, clubs and ribbon while also taking silver in the hoop discipline.

She also won the all-around title in the Rhythmic Gymnastics Poland Cup and achieved gold in clubs and ribbon in addition to bronze in ball at the FIG Aphrodite Cup in the Greek capital of Athens.

Lewińska secured a triple silver in clubs, hoop and ribbon at the FIG International Tournament in Russia’s capital Moscow.

Her success this year followed on from similarly impressive results she managed in 2021 when she finished first in the all-around event at the FIG Aphrodite Cup, Poland Championship, the Cairo-based Pharaoh Cup, FIG Rhythmic Stars in the polish city of Gdynia and the FIG International Tournament Sofia Cup.

She also secured silver at the FIG Irina Deleanu Cup in Bucharest in Romania and FIG International Tournament in Moscow.

PGA President Leszek Blanik believes technological advancements is a part of the recipe for success in sport ©PGA / Adam Warzawa
PGA President Leszek Blanik believes technological advancements is a part of the recipe for success in sport ©PGA / Adam Warzawa

Poland’s rising star is coached by her mother, Krystyna Leśkiewicz-Lewińska, who competed at the 1996 Atalanta Olympics in rhythmic gymnastics and is the incumbent rhythmic gymnastics individual national team head coach.

Emilia Heichel, who finished fourth in the most recent FIG International Tournament Sofia Cup, is another individual senior Polish athlete showing potential.

Additionally, the senior national team has been making steady work by progressing up the rankings since the majority of the team debuted together at the 2019 Junior World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.

Mariia Balakina, Liwia Krzyżanowska, Madoka Przybylska, Magdalena Szewczuk, Julia Wierzba, Julia Wojciechowska, the members of the rhythmic gymnastics group national team, are coached by Inga Buczyńska.

"The combination of hard work, talent, modern training base and the best technological solutions is, apart from stable financing, the only recipe for success in the world's sports arenas," Leszek Blanik, the President of the Polish Gymnastics Association, said.

"I am very proud that in less than six months, the newly elected PGA management can demonstrate first feats on the way to reaching this goal."