Ewa Swoboda became the Polish champion in the 100m run in Suwalki, achieving the second-fastest time in the history of Polish athletics – 10.99. She achieved the result, however, with too strong favourable wind – 2.4 m/s. “10.90 hangs open to me. Running is the most important thing for me,” said the gold medallist.
Before Ewa Swoboda (AZS AWF Katowice), whose life record in the open stadium in 2019 was 11.07, Ewa Kasprzyk had run in 1986 her 10.93 from Grudziądz which has been the national record for almost 36 years so far.
“I still defend my opinion that I hate running in this weather, the heat. I felt terrible, although it was worse after eliminations. But I don’t pay attention to it (she laughs), because it was 10.99. We don’t look at this wind, because you can cut it, improve it, and I managed to reach less than 11 seconds,” Swoboda said in Suwałki after the 100m final.
The national champion said she felt good about the result because she was not at all convinced that she would see such a time during the Polish Championships.
“I don’t know if I’ve said it before, but 10.90 is a long shot. Every first time is the worst. I hope it will happen more often in the future (going under 11 seconds – editor’s note),” Swoboda added.
And this is how she did it!
10.99 for Ewa Swoboda at the Polish Championships. ?
Video from @sport_tvppl pic.twitter.com/Qb9xxPLdnf
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) June 10, 2022
Swoboda’s second life chance
She agreed with the statement of one of the journalists that a new, second sporting life had entered her.
“This is it. I have sorted myself out a bit. I had a lot of time after the injury to sort out what is important and what is less important. Running is the most important thing for me. I put it first.”
She admitted that the ‘old Ewa’ would lie to her coach and not do all the repetitions in training, while the ‘new one’ does them. “Even when the coach says it’s done, I know it’s not done and I keep doing it,” she explained.
“You have to grow up to be a professional athlete. It is best to be truthful in training and life. We do everything for ourselves.”
Swoboda added that her fourth place in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade that spring had hurt, but it had become a motivation.
“My mum and I cried, but on the same day, I told myself that I am getting down to work because I am hungry to run fast and fulfil myself.”
Before the start in Suwałki, she paid attention to the wind, seeing that it was “on the upside”, and also to the new spikes.
“The girls are fast. We can create the relay team. We just need to work on the changes,” said Swoboda about the chances of making a strong Polish 4x100m team.