Eight years ago, Irena Szewińska passed away – an outstanding track and field athlete, Olympic gold medalist in 1964 Summer Olympics, 1968 Summer Olympics, and 1976 Summer Olympics, honorary citizen of Bydgoszcz, and the person who helped bring major sporting events to the Zawisza Stadium. On Friday, May 29, the 8th Irena Szewińska Memorial will take place, having become Bydgoszcz’s annual highlight on the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold level circuit.
The Irena Szewińska Memorial, for which tickets are still available, will begin before 5 p.m. The schedule includes numerous track events, pole vault, high jump, and javelin throw competitions. The Opening Ceremony will begin later in the evening, and the entire meeting is expected to conclude around 8 p.m.
Meeting director Krzysztof Wolsztyński admitted:
“Competitions are exciting when there are strong head-to-head battles, which is why I’m very happy that all of ‘my medalists’ – as I call them – representing the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Athletics Association, are competing at the Szewińska Memorial.”
One such exciting duel is expected in the men’s pole vault, where the well-known and popular Polish athlete Piotr Lisek will face American Chris Nilsen.
“I’m really happy to be here and that you welcome me so warmly, even though things are not always perfect. Sometimes the heights aren’t as high as you’d like, but I hope pole vaulting will bring a lot of joy,” said Lisek.
Nilsen achieved the first major success of his career in Bydgoszcz during the 2016 World U20 Championships:
“It’s actually a fun fact — the first time I came to Bydgoszcz was for the U20 Championships. This is now my tenth year coming here. That’s just how the competition schedule worked out.”
Among the Polish stars appearing at Zawisza on Friday will be Pia Skrzyszowska, Natalia Bukowiecka, Jakub Szymański, and Maria Andrejczyk.
Od 2009 roku związany z lokalnymi mediami. Specjalizuje się w tematach dotyczących infrastruktury, polityki regionalnej oraz funkcjonowaniu samorządów.
