Monika Pyrek (POL) competing at the World Championships in Paris (© Getty Images)
During the 81st Polish Championships this weekend (24/25/26), the duel between the third and fourth best athletes in the IAAF World Rankings for the women’s Pole Vault, respectively Anna Rogowska, the second highest vaulter of the summer, and Monika Pyrek, unbeaten in her last four events, aroused the greatest interest.
14 national titles
Rogowska had her first jump at the height of 4.30, clearing it without problems, while Pyrek’s first attempt was at 4.40 (cleared on the second try). Both athletes avoided each other by picking different heights, finally meeting at 4.70m. That day it was too much for Rogowska, as she finished the competition with 4.60 but Pyrek had her best ever jump at 4.70, with an enormous reserve of space over the bar. Unfortunately, though she was unable to clear 4.80.
Pyrek has now got 14 Polish Championship titles in her collection, including 8 indoor. Pyrek, the fourth placer from the Olympic Games in Athens 2004, has won the last four out of five competitions with Rogowska, the Olympic bronze medallist who has never been Polish champion. Though it is possible Rogowska would probably have jumped higher, if her original poles had not been crushed during transport.
Bieniek wins High Hump duel with 2.34
The men’s High Jump was also a very interesting competition, and not only because it was the last event of the Championships. Poland’s best high jumper of the last few years Grzegorz Sposob had 3 faultless attempts up to and including 2.30m. Unfortunately for him his biggest rival, 21-year-old Michal Bieniek, also had another good competition, and one which was even better. He cleared all his heights on the first attempts including 2.30 and 2.34. Sposob in response tried to jump 2.36 but without success.
Bieniek, who is second on the world lists this summer (2.36), had suffered a minor injury during the Kusocinski Memorial when he had tried to jump 2.39, 1cm more then the Polish record, and because of it he was unable to compete in the European Cup in Florence. Bieniek’s coach Bogumil Manka has therefore postponed anymore attacks on the national record. Worth mentioning is the fact that Danuta Bulkowska, who set the women’s Polish record some 21-years-ago, was also trained by Manka.
Hurdles record falls after 20 years
The women's 400m Hurdles witnessed a good win from Anna Jesien who bettered the 20-year-old Polish record on 5 June. Also, Malgorzata Pskit (6th 2002 European Championships) reached the qualifying time for the World Championships in Helsinki. Jesien won in a convincing way in the time of 54.53 and Pskit was second in a PB of 55.25.
Marta Chrust-Rozej gave a surprise as she almost stopped in front of the 6th hurdle only to do her best to catch up with her two better known rivals. Finally, her time was 55.56, 0.04 better than the World Championships minimum.
Three titles for Guzowska
In the flat 400m, Anna Pacholak Guzowska turned out to be the fastest, setting a Championships record and the individual Helsinki minimum (51.29). Two more athletes also set their personal bests, Zuzanna Radecka (51.58) and Monika Bejnar, who ran below 52 seconds for the first time (51.68). Surprising was the 5th place finish for 5-time Polish champion Grazyna Prokopek, who clearly lost her strength in the last straight.
Anna Guzowska collected three Polish Championships titles, not only 400m but also 200m, as she set her season's best of 23.02 and also the 4x100 club relay with AZS-AWF Warszawa.
There was tragedy in the 200m for the 1999-2000 Polish champion Zuzanna Radecka. After running well for the first 90 metres, she suffered a leg injury.
Two events for Janowska in Helsinki
During the absence of Lidia Chojecka-Okninska, the star of the middle-distance is Wioletta Frankiewicz-Janowska, who is another charge of coach Zbigniew Krol. She won the 1500m after running together with Justyna Lesman for a long time until the back straight when she easily sprinted away. Janowska’s time of 4:10.23 was better than the rest by more than 5 seconds.
Janowska has got the minimum for Helsinki in 3 distances, yet is going to run ‘only’ 1500m and 3000m Steeplechase, where she stands as the second fastest runner of the summer (9:25.09).
Chyla's blocks slip
The 100m was dramatic of course. Unfortunately, the starting blocks of the pre-race favourite Lukasz Chyla shifted as the gun was fired, and so it was left to Michal Bielczyk (10.42) to simply win the title. He continues a family tradition, as his father Piotr was 4th at the Montreal Olympic Games, and his mother, Zofia Filip was the World record holder for the 60m Hurdles (7.77 in 1980).
The race was also unfortunate for Marcin Urbas who injured himself just around 70m into the race, making it impossible for him to compete in his best event, the 200m, which was won by Marcin Jedrusinski in the time of 20.86. Jedrusinski had had a calf injury until recently. So the problems of sprint coach Tadeusz Osik are not reducing. The 4x100 relay squad is not only incomplete but also hasn’t set the Polish Federation minimum for Helsinki of 39.00 seconds.
The 400m was supposed to be very interesting as it was the qualification race for the relay but the only one to go below 46 seconds was Marcin Marciniszyn (45.69), beating Piotr Klimczak (46.01) and Piotr Rysiukiewicz (46.09).
Trying to get back to top form is 1998 European Championship silver medallist Robert Mackowiak. However, he came to the finish line in the last, 6th, position (46.33). Mackowiak was the fastest of the relay squad during last week’s European Cup (44.99). In Biela Podlaska he had a big smile on his face and was really proud of bettering the Polish record for veterans, as he turned 35 recently.
Pawel Czapiewski was able to complete only half of his plan as he won only the 800m race (1:47.10), being beaten in 1500m by Miroslaw Formela (3:39.41).
Jakub Czaja won the 3000m Steeplechase in the time of 8:22.68, also helping Radoslaw Poplawski to set his personal best of 13:46.80 in the 5000m, after acting as pacemaker (3000m – 8:10.68).
Skolimowska show great form
Recently the circle for the Discus Throw and Hammer Throw was renovated and some of the athletes had difficulties adjusting to it. Yet Kamila Skolimowska was not having any problems, as the 2000 Olympic women’s Hammer champion, threw her season’s best of 72.41, only 16cm less than her own Polish Record.
Right after the event she was very busy measuring by herself another of her throws which went out of the sector. She was proud to announce it was unofficially 73.90.
In men’s Discus Throw, 22-year-old Piotr Malchowski made a good impression, as he won, bettering the Polish U23 record with a throw of 64.74.
After the Championships, the Board of the Polish Federation announced that all the Polish champions of 2005 will be included in the team for Helsinki, so long of course that they have the ‘B’ standard minimum, and prove good form during the next few weeks.
Janusz Rozum for the IAAF
