Natalia Kaczmarek, the 26-year-old Polish sprinter, has kicked off the new season with a bang, leaving the athletics world in awe. The rising star recently marked her presence at the test competitions in South Africa, where she not only showcased outstanding speed but also etched her name in the record books.
During the highly competitive 300-meter event, Kaczmarek blazed across the finish line with an impressive time of 35.52 seconds. This remarkable feat shattered the unofficial record for Poland, a mark that had stood untouched for a staggering 49 years, previously held by the legendary Irena Szewińska.
Natalia Kaczmarek, already a world vice-champion, is now emerging as a beacon of hope for Poland’s medal aspirations in the upcoming Olympic year.
“Potchefstroom: 300 – 1. Natalia Kaczmarek 35.50!, the best result in the history of Polish athletics (to this day – 35.70 by Irena Szewińska from 1975), WL – the best result in the world this year, 8th place in the world historical tables of this distance,”
Athletics News wrote on X.
Potchefstroom: 300 – 1. Natalia Kaczmarek 35.50!, najlepszy wynik w historii polskiej lekkoatletyki (do dziś – 35.70 Ireny Szewińskiej z 1975), WL – najlepszy w tym roku wynik na świecie, 8. lokata w światowych tabelach historycznych tego dystansu 🙂
— Athletics News (@Nedops) January 30, 2024
“Natalia Kaczmarek has just achieved 35.50 in the 300 meters in South Africa – the best result in the history of Polish athletics (she beat Irena Szewińska’s record by 0.2 seconds), and the best result in the world this year at this distance,”
Silesia Memorial Kamili Skolimowskiej wrote on X and attached a video.
Natalia Kaczmarek uzyskała przed chwilą w RPA 35,50 w biegu na 300 metrów – najlepszy wynik w historii polskiej lekkoatletyki (pobiła rekord Ireny Szewińskiej o 0,2 sekundy), najlepszy w tym roku wynik na świecie na tym dystansie. pic.twitter.com/yt0rwocVUj
— Silesia Memoriał Kamili Skolimowskiej (@MemorialKamili) January 30, 2024
To put the achievement into perspective, Szewińska’s record of 35.70 seconds from 1975 has held firm for nearly five decades. Now, thanks to Kaczmarek’s electrifying run, history has been rewritten, and the torch has been passed to a new generation of sprinting excellence.