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Natalia Kaczmarek smashes records with a historic 500-meter run, securing her place in Polish athletics history and ninth place globally.
Natalia Kaczmarek, the reigning world silver medalist in the 400 meters, demonstrated her exceptional form once again in an unexpected fashion. On a brisk Sunday in Olsztyn, she conquered the unconventional 500-meter distance with a remarkable time of 1:07.18. This achievement etched her name in the annals of Polish athletics as the fastest ever over this distance. At just 25 years old, Kaczmarek’s performance was her first since the world championships, and it affirmed her enduring prowess.
The race took place during the Zbigniew Ludwichowski Memorial, and Kaczmarek left her competitors trailing far behind. Second-placed Karolina Łozowska finished more than three seconds behind the unstoppable Kaczmarek.
While the 500 meters is primarily a training distance, it now features official results in the Polish Athletics Association (PZLA) and World Athletics records. These results are officially recognized as “best results in history,” rather than records. Previously, the best Polish time was held by Aleksandra Gaworska, who completed the distance in 1:08.65 in 2018.
Before the race, organizers announced a unique incentive: if Kaczmarek or any other participant surpassed Gaworska’s time, they would receive a 50-gram gold bar from sponsor BSG.
Kaczmarek’s stellar performance also secured her ninth place in the all-time rankings for this competition, which includes both indoor and outdoor times. While the unofficial world record belongs to Dutch athlete Femke Bol, who clocked 1:05.63 indoors this year, the fastest outdoor time is held by Czech athlete Tatiana Kocembova, who ran 1:05.90 in 1984.