This weekend, Polish track stars are set to sprint towards Olympic qualification at the World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas. Among them, sprinter Ewa Swoboda exudes confidence. “We’re ready. We’ve spent a lot of time together and understand each other well. We’ll do everything we can to perform well,” Swoboda declared, gearing up for the 4×100 meters relay.
Meanwhile, on the longer 4×400 meters track, Natalia Kaczmarek shines as the star. Her recent performance at the Diamond League meet in Xiamen, China, saw her clock a remarkable 50.29 seconds, only trailing behind world champion Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic.
This weekend, the Polish teams will compete in the 4×100 meters, 4×400 meters, and the mixed 4×400 meters relay categories. The qualifiers and finals are eagerly awaited, with 32 teams in each event vying for a spot in the top echelons of the sport.
Swoboda, a World Indoor silver medalist in the 60 meters from Glasgow, is also set to prove her mettle in the 100 meters during the summer season. “It’s a tough season ahead. I count on the support of my parents and my boyfriend, Krzysztof. With them by my side, I believe everything will work out.”
Kaczmarek, the relay powerhouse and world championship silver medalist, also remains focused, under the guidance of her coach, Marek Rożej. “Our ultimate goal is the Olympic Games in Paris. Everything we do is aimed at excelling there, though we take each competition seriously, starting with the Bahamas,” Rożej confirmed.
The competition is stiff, with each participating nation fielding their best athletes. “It’s hard to make predictions at the start of the season,” noted Kajetan Duszyński, another hopeful for the men’s and mixed 4×400 meters relay. “The hosts have brought their heavy hitters, and no team has come with a secondary squad.”