SPEEDWAY/INTERVIEW/M2E: “Sometimes it is so that someone appreciates you more when you are a stranger and not one of their own”

A unique season awaits Janusz Kołodziej. Not only will he not be competing in the PGE Ekstraliga after many years, but also in the METALKAS 2nd Ekstraliga, where teams from Leszno and Tarnów, where he shaped his career, will meet. In an interview for ekstraliga.pl, the FOGO UNIA speedway rider talked about his relations with speedway centers, what he owes them, and also about his health state.

• Janusz Kołodziej, for the first time in 15 seasons, will not be competing in the PGE Ekstraliga.
• In the METALKAS 2nd Ekstraliga, FOGO UNIA and AUTONA UNIA – two close clubs for the speedway rider, where he spent his career, will meet.
• I owe a lot to both the club from Tarnów and Leszno – noted the speedway rider.
• At this moment, it is important to get going – said Kołodziej about approaching the 2025 season after a shoulder injury he suffered last year.
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What is your general state of health? Will you need any more rehabilitation elements?

Janusz Kołodziej (FOGO UNIA Leszno): I’m still undergoing rehabilitation. In fact, one could say that since the season ended, I haven’t taken a break and have been attending sessions. I can now say I’m happy with where I am, but I still have a lot of work ahead. You can see results after each rehabilitation or training, but sometimes I have to step back because there’s so much of it all. We often have to push through the hard parts to move forward again because those shoulders like to stiffen up when they’re tired. It’s the same in speedway – if there was a fall or greater strain, those shoulders wouldn’t work well. Such is the way of a sportsman’s life.

And how is this affecting your preparations for the season? Are you focusing on rehabilitation, or are they combined with normal training?

Everything looks completely different. It’s good that everything happened quickly and continuity was maintained, as now I have more peace. For me, January and February have always been periods of anxiety – about whether I did everything right. Now, when I must have rehabilitation and constantly try to return to health, I currently have more peace. My well-being is also good.

For the first time in 15 seasons, you won’t be present at the highest level of competition (last appearance in support – season 2009 with UNIA Tarnów). Will you miss competing in the PGE Ekstraliga?

Above all, I didn’t feel the need to change the club. We, as FOGO UNIA Leszno, were relegated to a lower league. I felt responsible and part of that. We managed to discuss, agree, and I could stay. We care very much about quickly returning to the elite, so everything leaned towards not changing clubs. Now, when you asked this question, indeed, it is shocking that after so many years, I won’t be in the PGE Ekstraliga.

Especially since you have achieved high results. The last was 5th place in the individual ranking.

That’s right. I’m a bit in shock because it was a difficult and challenging season for me. I also didn’t participate in matches where there was a tough opponent as it was clear that it would be better to stay and rehabilitate. Thanks to that, there was also a high average. This season will slightly verify how everything looks. It’s strange and different, but on the other hand, it is interesting. I also cannot wait for it to start in this regard.

Although I must say that the last time I was in this league, I wanted to end my career after this season. Not because I competed at this level, but because I felt like I was burning out. After the 2009 season, I changed my environment, felt I needed to do it. For the first time, I undertook changing clubs. It may sound strange, but for me, it looks very similar because the same colors, also UNIA in the name, but the desires became bigger, and until this point, I want to continue riding. I owe a lot to both the club from Tarnów and Leszno.

On the inauguration, FOGO UNIA Leszno will face AUTONA UNIA Tarnów. It can be boldly said that it won’t be such an ordinary match for you, right?

I’m happy that AUTONA UNIA managed to survive and is getting out of a difficult moment. They managed to win KLZ and can race further. Everything looks better and better. We meet at a nice place. It is a curious start to the season for me because our two UNIAS meet.

Especially since you can be said to be a symbol for both clubs. You have spent many years in both teams.

That’s why it’s good that I can start the season and finish the regular round in such a way (laughs).

The rematch in Tarnów also promises to be a big event. Considering you’ll return there for league racing, and you have put on a show before, like winning the IMP title in 2005.

I’m definitely grateful to the fans after those competitions in the 2005 season. They chanted my name and surname, and it was moving for me. One of the better days of my life. Looking back, not all fans could be satisfied with my stance because I changed club colors. If I hadn’t done that, I simply would have ended my career because I was starting to burn out. In Leszno, I felt needed again, and then I returned to Tarnów once more. Somehow I’m drawn to FOGO UNIA, but I’m happy I could ride for the Tarnów UNIA. We’ll see what happens next. It’s a mega cool story for me.

It’s known that Tarnów fans would like me to defend their club’s colors more, but I can’t split myself, and currently, I feel good in FOGO UNIA. In Tarnów, I gave a lot of chances to myself, to the fans, to the activists to keep cooperating. At some point, I saw that the club was declining, but it wasn’t about leaving a sinking ship. I knew that if I wanted to progress with my career, I had to move to a club with prospects, and in UNIA Tarnów at that moment, it was hard to communicate with the activists.

It wasn’t about financial issues but about normalcy. Sometimes it is so that someone appreciates you more when you are a stranger and not one of their own. Maybe not everyone will agree with me, but many athletes can confirm this.

An idea just came to me about possibly ending your career. Would you rather say “pass” while being a player for UNIA from Leszno or Tarnów?

I have no idea. I hope my career will last for years because I can’t imagine not being able to ride. Here I’m very torn because I care about both teams. However, I must emphasize that under these circumstances, I am definitely closer to FOGO UNIA. I’ve become more connected with the surrounding here.

I wanted to ask you about plans related to the Grand Prix. Is there still a return to the cycle in your goals somewhere? Or are you currently setting that aside to focus on league appearances, national tournaments, as well as returning to full health?

At this point, it is important to get going. I don’t know how to compare last season; it was like survival for me. When during the winter break, I could calm everything down, now I want to feel everything anew. I want to see this season what I’m capable of, what progress I’ve made, and then there will be a decision on what’s next. It’s clear that everyone wants to compete with the best, but I’m already an older rider and must check if the work and effort we put in during winter are yielding enough results so that I feel strong enough to fight for it. If I feel that and everything is good, I’ll do everything. History has shown that I was in the GP and didn’t go well. I feel like with time, my mentality is at a higher level, and my body, because of injuries, needs to rebuild.

I might want to ask about the Team World Cup 2026 – does the thought “it would be nice to participate in the final at PGE National” occur to you?

For every rider, it’s something wonderful. Everyone dreams of it and wants it. I do too. If my level is high and good, then by all means. However, if it’s not, I’d prefer another colleague of mine to go and proudly represent our country. The best should ride, especially since we have a lot to achieve and aim for. We, Poles, will do everything to win it.