LODZ (POL): The ORLEN Cup Lodz, a WIT Silver event in Poland, saw spectacular performances. Athletes showcased impressive speed and skill in the sprint and field events.
Among the standout performances were Jakub Szymański’s Polish Record in the men’s 60m hurdles and Emmanouil Karalis’s setting a Greek Indoor Record in the pole vault.
In the men’s 60m hurdles, Szymański made history with a blazing 7.39 seconds, breaking the Polish national record and moving to second on the European all-time list, only behind the legendary Colin Jackson. His time was initially a world-leading mark before being surpassed by Dylan Beard in New York. The event featured an all-Polish top three, with Damian Czykier finishing second in 7.50 and Krzysztof Kiljan taking third with a personal best of 7.57.
The women’s 60m hurdles race was also fast-paced, with Swiss athlete Ditaji Kambundji leading the charge with a European leading time of 7.83. Finland’s Lotta Harala placed second in 8.01, while Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska rounded out the top three in 8.02.
In the women’s 60m sprint, Polish star Ewa Swoboda won in 7.13 seconds, while Italy’s Zaynab Dosso finished second in 7.16. Swoboda’s time in the heats was slightly slower at 7.16, while Dosso ran 7.10, marking a promising start for the season. Czech athlete Karolina Manasova finished third with a time of 7.22.
American sprinter Ronnie Baker dominated the men’s 60m with a winning time of 6.55 seconds, showcasing his speed on the track.
The pole vault competition saw a Greek indoor record for Emmanouil Karalis, who cleared 5.92m and made a brave attempt at 6.02m. The field events also had some thrilling moments, as Konrad Bukowiecki won the men’s shot put with a throw of 20.95m, followed closely by Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (20.88m) and American Roger Steen (20.82m).
Mariya Zodzik and Paulina Borys both cleared 1.90m in the high jump, marking strong performances in the event.
The ORLEN Cup Lodz continues to be a hub for outstanding track and field performances, with athletes making their mark early in the season.