Polish Athletics Championships Explained

Polish Athletics Championships
Current Season:	2024 Polish Athletics Championships
Sport:	Athletics
Country:	Poland
Founded:	1920

The Polish Athletics Championships (Polish: Mistrzostwa Polski seniorów w lekkoatletyce) is an annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the Polish Athletic Association (PZLA), which serves as the Polish national championship for the sport. It is typically held as a three-day event in the Polish summer, ranging from late June to early August. The venue of the championships changes annually.

Following the establishment of the PZLA in 1919, the national championships was first held in 1920 as a men-only event. The first two championships were held in Lviv (now in Ukraine) as this city was the headquarters of the national sports body and home to the only modern athletics stadium in the country.^[1] Women's events were included shortly after in 1922.^[2] The women's championships were contested separately from the men's from 1925 to 1949 (1945–46 excepted). The championships has been contested every year since its inception, bar a brief period from 1940 to 1944 when World War II led to abandonment of the competition.

Events

The current track and field programme features a total of 40 individual Polish Championship athletics events, divided evenly between the sexes.

Track running

100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1500 metres, 5000 metres, 10,000 metres

Obstacle events

100 metres hurdles (women only), 110 metres hurdles (men only), 400 metres hurdles, 3000 metres steeplechase

Jumping events

Pole vault, high jump, long jump, triple jump

Throwing events

Shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, hammer throw

Combined events

Decathlon (men only), heptathlon (women only)

The competition has featured more unusual events, such as the grenade throw for men in 1951 and both men and women in 1952. Men competed in the standing long jump at the 1920 and 1921 editions. This event had a longer history in the women's programme, lasting from 1927 to 1947. A men's 200 metres hurdles was first contested in1 1953 but stopped after 1963. Women contested that event in 1970 and 1971. A few events were unique to women, including the 60 metres (held from 1922 to 1950), a 250 m (1924 to 1926), a 1000 m in 1926 and 1927, and a 500 m from 1949 to 1951.^[3]

The women's programme expanded inline with international acceptance of women's athletics. The women's 1500 metres was added in 1969 and the 400 m hurdles followed the year after. The women's 3000 metres was introduced in 1973 and contested up to 1994. The women's equivalents of the men's standard 5000 m and 10,000 m were added in 1984. The 80 metres hurdles was combined with the 100 metres hurdles at the 1968 championships, before the longer distance replaced it the following year. Later additions to the women's programme were triple jump (1991), pole vault and hammer throw (1995) and the steeplechase (1999).^[2]

Championship events are held at different locations for combined track and field events, road running and walks, and cross country running.

Editions

Edition	Dates	Venue
	16–18 July	Stadion Pogoni Lwów
	13–15 August	Stadion Pogoni Lwów
	30 September–1 October	Park Sobieskiego^[4]
	25–26 August	Park Sobieskiego
	6–8 September	Park Sobieskiego
	14–16 August (men) 17–18 July (women)	Stadion Wisły Kraków Park Sobieskiego
	13–15 August (men) 7–8 August (women)	Park Sobieskiego
	10–12 July (men) 16–17 July (women)	Park Sobieskiego Stadion Warty Poznań
	31 August–2 September (men) 1–2 September (women)	Park Sobieskiego Stadion Wisły Kraków
	5–7 July (men) 12–14 July (women)	Stadion Miejski Park Sobieskiego
	12–13 July (men) 26–27 July (women)	Park Sobieskiego Stadion Szkoły Oficerskiej
	11–12 July (men) 18–19 July (women)	Stadion Miejski Park Sobieskiego
	25–26 June (men) 18–19 June (women)	Stadion Wojska Polskiego Stadion ŁKS-u
	1–2 July (men) 15–16 July (women)	Stadion Miejski^[5] Stadion Miejski
	5–7 July (men) 7–8 July (women)	Stadion Miejski Park Sobieskiego
	6–7 July (men) 13–14 July (women)	Stadion „Zwierzyniec” Stadion Wisły Kraków
	26–27 September (men) 4–5 July (women)	Stadion na Pióromoncie Stadion KS WIMA
	3–4 July (men) 10–11 July (women)	Stadion Miejski Stadion Miejski
	23–24 July (men) 30–31 July (women)	Stadion Wojska Polskiego Stadion Centralny im. Bronisława Malinowskiego
	8–9 July (men) 15–16 July (women)	Stadion Miejski Stadion Miejski
Not held 1940–1944 due to World War II
	29–30 September	Stadion ŁKS-u
	7–8 September	Stadion Wisły Kraków
	12–13 July (men) 5–6 July (women)	Stadion Wojska Polskiego Stadion Pogoni Katowice
	10–11 July (men) 10–11 July (women)	Stadion WOS Stadion Miejski
	23–24 July (men) 30–31 July (women)	Stadion Lechii Stadion ŁKS-u
	13–15 August	Stadion Wisły Kraków
	9–16 September	Stadion Wojska Polskiego
	14–17 August	Stadion Gwardii Wrocław
	4–6 September	Stadion Wojska Polskiego
	18–23 July	Stadion Wojska Polskiego
	23–25 October	Stadion ŁKS-u
	30 September–1 October	Stadion Górnika Zabrze
	14–16 September	Stadion im. 22 July
	18–20 July	Stadion Zawiszy
	21–23 August	Stadion Lechii
	5–7 August	Stadion Leśny
	24–26 August	Stadion Suche Stawy
	20–22 July	Stadion Wojska Polskiego
	23–25 August	Stadion Zawiszy
	16–19 July	Stadion Wojska Polskiego
	13–15 August	Stadion Pogoni Szczecin
	4–7 August	Stadion im. 22 July
	17–20 August	Stadion Śląski
	12–15 September	Stadion MOSiRu
	14–17 August	Stadion Wisły Kraków
	6–9 August	Stadion Skry
	26–28 June	Stadion Skry
	17–19 August	Stadion Skry
	10–12 August	Stadion Skry
	19–21 July	Stadion Skry
	27–29 June	Stadion Zawiszy
	25–27 June	Stadion Zawiszy
	29–31 July	Stadion Zawiszy
	9–11 July	Stadion Skry
	10–12 August	Stadion Olimpii Poznań
	29–31 August	Stadion AZS Łódź
	6–8 August	Stadion im. Ernesta Pohla
	2–4 July	Stadion Startu Lublin
	25–27 June	Stadion Zawiszy
	22–24 June	Stadion Startu Lublin
	2–4 August	Stadion Zawiszy
	27–29 June	Stadion Centralny im. Bronisława Malinowskiego
	14–16 August	Stadion Olimpii Poznań
	12–14 August	Stadion Centralny im. Bronisława Malinowskiego
	1–3 September	Stadion AWF Kraków
	13–15 July	Stadion MOSiR Piła
	12–14 July	Stadion Budowlanych
	19–21 June	Stadion Skry
	23–25 July	Stadion Budowlanych
	24–26 June	Stadion MOSiR Piła
	18–20 August	Stadion Skry
	21–23 June	Stadion MOSiR Piła
	20–22 June	Stadion Zawiszy
	26–28 June	Stadion AWF Wrocław
	2–4 July	Stadion AWF Kraków
	6–8 August	Stadion AWF Kraków
	29 June–1 July	Stadion Zawiszy
	19–21 July	Miejski Stadion Lekkoatletyczny w Szczecinie
	4–6 July	Stadion KS Sprint
	2–4 July	Stadion im. Krzyszkowiaka
	24–26 June	Stadion AWF Biała Podlaska
	21–23 July	Stadion im. Krzyszkowiaka
	30 June–1 July	Stadion Olimpii Poznań
	4–6 July	Miejski Stadion Lekkoatletyczny w Szczecinie
	31 July–2 August	Stadion im. Krzyszkowiaka
	8–10 July	Stadion KS Sprint
	11–13 August	Stadion im. Krzyszkowiaka
	15–17 June	Stadion KS Sprint
	19–21 July^[6]	Stadion Miejski im. G. Duneckiego
	29–31 July^[7]	Miejski Stadion Lekkoatletyczny w Szczecinie
	19–21 July^[8] ^[9]	Stadion AWF Kraków
	24–26 June^[10]	Stadion im. Krzyszkowiaka
	21–23 July^[11]	Stadion "Zwierzyniec"
	20–22 July^[12]	Stadion Start Lublin
	23–25 August	Marshal Józef Piłsudski Athletic and Football Stadium
	28–30 August	OSiR Stadium in Włocławek
	24–26 June	Stadion Olimpii Poznań
	9–11 June	Stadion lekkoatletyczny w Suwałkach
	27–29 July
	27–29 June	Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium

Championship records

Men

Event	Mark	Athlete	Club	Date	Location	Championships	Ref
	10.15^[13]			2 July 1999		1999
	20.43^[14]			21 July 2002		2002
	45.11			30 July 2014		2014
	1:45.70^[15]			22 July 2017		2017
	3:37.4			31 July 1977	Bydgoszcz	1977
	13:36.5			31 July 1977	Bydgoszcz	1977
	28:27.2			27 June 1975	Bydgoszcz	1975
	13:59			2 June 2012		2012
	28:55^[16]			6 August 2011		2011
	1:02:45			29 August 1998		1998
	2:10:34		WKS Śląsk Wrocław	6 kwietnia 1986		1986
110 m hurdles	13.25 (+1.1 m/s) =	Jakub Szymanski		28 June 2024	Bydgoszcz	2024	^[17]
	48.89		Skra Warsaw	5 August 2000	Kraków	2000
	8:19.2			20 July 1974	Warsaw	1974
	2.34			26 June 2005		2005
	5.85			23 July 2017		2017
	8.16^[18]			20 June 1997	Bydgoszcz
	17.19^[19]		WKS Śląsk Wrocław	27 June 1983	Bydgoszcz	1983
	21.53			23 July 2017		2017
	67.48		WKS Śląsk Wrocław		Bielsko-Biała	2010
	81.87^[20]			25 June 2016	Bydgoszcz	2016
Javelin throw (new model)	88.09			21 July 2017	Białystok	2017
Javelin throw (old model)	87.54		WKS Śląsk Wrocław	27 June 1983	Bydgoszcz	1983
	8208 pts			21 June 1973	Warsaw	1973
	1:19:14			20 June 1992	Warsaw	1992
	3:43:55^[21]			21 marca 2015		2015
4 × 100 metres relay	39.16			5 July 2008	Szczecin	2008
4 × 400 metres relay	3:03.16		WKS Śląsk Wrocław	4 July 1999	Kraków	1999

Women

Event	Mark	Athlete	Club	Date	Location	Championships
	10.93			27 June 1986		1986
	22.43			20 July 1974		1974
400 m	50.77	Natalia Kaczmarek		28 June 2024	Bydgoszcz	2024	^[22]
	1:59.89			1 September 1980		1980
	4:06.96			17 June 2012		2012
3000 metres	8:58.26			12 August 1979		1979
	15:34.87			2 July 2004		2004
	31:52.11			8 May 2004		2004
5 km (road)	15:52			2 June 2012		2012
10 km (road)	33:34^[23]		LKS Vectra-DGS Włocławek	27 May 2012		2012
	12.64^[24]			11 August 1979	Poznań	1979
	54.53		AZS AWF Warsaw	25 June 2005		2005
	9:35.44			23 July 2006		2006
	1:30:56			17 September 2011		2011
	1.98			20 July 2015	Kraków	2015
	4.80			1 August 2009		2009
	6.96			22 June 1984		1984
	14.27			10 July 2010	Bielsko-Biała	2010
	19.58			26 June 1976	Bydgoszcz	1976
	63.78		WLKS Siedlce	26 June 1994		1994
	80.79			23 July 2017	Białystok	2017
Javelin throw (new model)	61.05			25 June 2006	Bydgoszcz	2006
Javelin throw (old model)	62.76			11 August 1979	Poznań	1979
	6494 pts			7 June 2008		2008
4 × 100 metres relay	44.59			14 August 1988	Grudziądz	1988
4 × 400 metres relay	3:31.33		AZS AWF Warsaw	23 July 2017	Białystok	2017

References

Records

Henryk Kurzyński, Stefan Pietkiewicz, Janusz Rozum, Tadeusz Wołejko: Historia finałów lekkoatletycznych mistrzostw Polski 1920–2007. Konkurencje męskie. Szczecin - Warszawa: Komisja Statystyczna PZLA, 2008. .

External links

Polish Athletics Association website

Notes and References

Jurek, Tomasz& Krzewiński, Ignacy & Woltmann, Bernard. Lekkoatletyka w Polsce 1919 - 1994 (1994). Polskie Towarzystwo Naukowe Kultury Fizycznej .
http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/pol.htm Polish Championships
Henryk Kurzyński, Stefan Pietkiewicz, Janusz Rozum, Tadeusz Wołejko: Historia finałów lekkoatletycznych mistrzostw Polski 1920-2007. Konkurencje męskie. Szczecin – Warszawa: Komisja Statystyczna PZLA, 2008, s. 113. .
Park Sobieskiego is now known as Agrykola Stadium in Ujazdów district.
Web site: Bydgoszcz (Stadion Miejski) 1933m, 1937k, 1948k. nastadiony.pl. 24 October 2012. pl.
Web site: 89. Mistrzostwa Polski Seniorów. pzla.pl. 7 September 2012. pl.
Web site: 90. Mistrzostwa Polski Seniorów. Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki. 20 September 2013. pl.
Web site: Kalendarz Mistrzostw Polski 2015 (projekt). Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki. 5 August 2014. pl.
Web site: Kraków gospodarzem Mistrzostw Polski Seniorów 2015. Maciej Jałoszyński. Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki. 22 October 2014. pl.
Web site: Bydgoszcz, Toruń, Suwałki i Gliwice ugoszczą MP 2016. Maciej Jałoszyński. Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki. 23 December 2015. pl.
Web site: Białystok gospodarzem 93. Mistrzostw Polski. Maciej Jałoszyński. Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki. 11 October 2016. 11 October 2016. pl.
Web site: 94.PZLA Mistrzostwa Polski.Lublin, 20–22 lipca 2018. pzla.pl. 2018-07-23. 2018-07-24. pl.
Faster wind assisted times have been recorded: Marcin Jędrusiński won the 2003 100 metres title in 10.07 seconds and Marek Zalewski ran 10.12 in 1993, but both had wind over the legal limit of 2 m/s.
Marcin Jędrusiński ran a wind-assisted 200 metres in 20.38 seconds
Web site: Komunikat końcowy zawodów, Białystok, 21-23 July 2017, 93. PZLA Mistrzostwa Polski. Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki. 26 July 2017. pl. https://web.archive.org/web/20170802042052/http://www.pzla.pl/zdjecia/zal_i/20170721-bialystok-mp_201707240626.pdf. 2 August 2017. dead.
Web site: Chabowski mistrzem Polski na 10 kilometrów. sport.trojmiasto.pl. 10 August 2011. pl.
Web site: National championships round-up: Nugent and Thompson impress in Jamaica. World Athletics. 30 June 2024. 2 July 2024.
Wind assisted long jump marks include Marcin Starzak in 2008 (8.20 m, +3.3 m/s), as well as 8.17 m by Andrzej Klimaszewski in 1985 and 8.16 m by Stanisław Jaskułka in 1986.
In 1984, Zdzisław Hoffmann had a wind-assisted mark of 17.28 m
Web site: Komunikat końcowy zawodów, Bydgoszcz, 24–26 June 2016; 92. Mistrzostwa Polski Seniorów. Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki. 26 July 2017. pl. https://web.archive.org/web/20160816070325/http://www.pzla.pl/zdjecia/zal_i/2016062426-bydgoszcz-mp_201606270659.pdf. 16 August 2016. dead.
Web site: Rafał Augustyn mistrzem Polski na 50 km. pzla.pl. 31 March 2015. pl.
Web site: National championships round-up: Nugent and Thompson impress in Jamaica. World Athletics. 30 June 2024. 2 July 2024.
Web site: Lewandowska pierwszą mistrzynią Polski. Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki. 27 May 2012. pl.
This record was matched by Lucyna Langer-Kałek at the 1982 Polish Championships.