NC State’s Bartosz Piszczorowicz, Kacper Stokowski remain teammates for Team Poland at Olympics

When Bartosz Piszczorowicz arrived at NC State as a transfer from Louisville three years ago, he hadn’t worked out in weeks. The Polish swimmer, who was tabbed to appear on a relay during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, was sent home right before the games were set to begin due to an administrative error.

Team Poland, which had 17 spots in the Tokyo Olympics, brought 23 swimmers to Japan, but since it had too many on the roster, all of the relay-only athletes had to go home. That included Piszczorowicz, who was “devastated” at the time. 

So when he arrived in Raleigh, Piszczorowicz needed to get back in shape. The Wolfpack’s coaching staff worked diligently to get the elite swimmer back to full form. 

“NC State helped me a lot to get through all the emotions,” Piszczorowicz said of the 2 a.m. phone call that shattered his initial Olympic dreams. “I remember in the first couple of weeks, in conversations with the coaches, they said ‘We’re going to repeat it and it’s going to be in a good way.’ To do this, finally, in a good way, I’ve learned a lot in the past three years.”

Now, a few trips around the sun later, Piszczorowicz will be in the Olympic games — part of Team Poland’s freestyle relay in Paris — and he’ll swim alongside his collegiate teammate, Kacper Stokowski, a childhood friend. 

The two have known each other since they were 14 years old, swimming at a junior world championships together for Poland. Since then, their bond has grown closer and closer. When Piszczorowicz transferred to NC State, the duo became roommates instantly. 

They do “everything together,” from eating breakfast — scrambled eggs, two pieces of toast with prosciutto and cheese for Piszczorowicz and a breakfast sandwich for Stokowski — to a post-meal nap before driving to practice. The two Polish swimmers have become a breeding ground for growth in the water and on dry land during their three years together at NC State. 

“We always motivate each other every day,” Stokowski said. “Everything lines up, we have to accomplish those things together. I don’t regret that we both got here because it made both of us stronger.”

That ability to drive one another to become a better swimmer led to success in the water at NC State, including as All-Americans on the Wolfpack’s 800 freestyle relay this year, but also on the international circuit.

Piszczorowicz will compete on Team Poland’s freestyle relay, while Stokowski is set to be on the medley relay. Although they likely will not compete in the same event in Paris, the two hope to continue to room together when they arrive at the Olympic games. 

And while they’re on the world’s biggest stage, both Piszczorowicz and Stokowski want to not only represent their country, but do the same for NC State. 

“I will be forever grateful for NC State,” Piszczorowicz said. “My mindset changed a lot just being here with my teammates and coaches. I’m a completely different person than I was three years ago. I’m a new swimmer, I would say. It’s an amazing feeling that I can represent NC State on Team Poland. I achieved everything because of NC State and the coaching staff.”

“I can’t describe how much this university means to me,” said Stokowski, a two-time NCAA Champion that holds nine ACC titles and is a 20-time All-American. “It made me a better swimmer and a better person as well. I want to go to the Olympics and prove myself for Poland and for the university and just to say thank you for everyone.”

For Stokowski, the biggest piece of training leading up to the Olympics will be his walking. The athlete village took a lot out of his legs in his first trip to the games, and he hopes to have learned from that experience. 

Piszczorowicz, meanwhile, will take that advice, but also wants to have fun with his time in Paris. He had his first Olympics experience ripped away from him three years ago, and this time he’s looking forward to hitting the water in France. 

And the three-time ACC champion credited NC State’s coaching staff, particularly coach Braden Holloway and associate head coach Mark Bernadardino, with helping him return to the Olympic stage. 

“These past three years have changed a lot for me and now I see the results of that,” Piszczorowicz said. “I’m really thankful for coach Braden and coach Kevin because they literally saved my swimming career.”
The Paris Olympics swim events begin on July 27 and they run through Aug. 4. Here’s the full schedule of events.