Justyna Kowalczyk, Poland’s cross country ski champion, has won her second gold medal at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship in Liberec, Czech Republic.

The 26-year-old Pole has been competing in the winter sport since 2000 and won the bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy in the 30 km freestyle, becoming the first Pole to medal in the sport at an Olympic event.

This medal, won for the 30 km race, is Kowalczyk’s second overall gold in the World Championships. She took the gold in the 7.5 km + 7.5 km double pursuit as well. The Polish athlete also won the bronze medal for the 10 km race.

Kowalczyk finished the thirty-kilometre race in 1:16:10, ten seconds ahead of Jevgenia Medvedev of Russia and Valentyna Shevchenko of the Ukraine.

The Polish athlete is the current leader in the cross-country distance category for the World Cup. (mmj/pg)