The Pole overcame a serious injury. However, there were many tears
We will see one Polish representative in the high jump competition during the Athletics Championships in Birmingham. Maria Żodzik made it to the finals.
On Thursday (i.e. August 13), the fourth day of competition during the European Athletics Championships began. This time, in the morning series in Birmingham, there were some really interesting threads related to the starts of Polish men and women.
One of them was the qualifying round for the women’s high jump competition. Three Polish representatives appeared at the start: Maria Żodzik, Maja Słodzińska and Wiktoria Miąso.
Maria Żodzik overcame the injury and reached the final! Many tears of the Polish champion
Ultimately, only the first one advanced to the final. The 2025 world vice-champion achieved a result of 1.91 m, which was enough to easily advance. It is worth adding that Żodzik did not know until yesterday (i.e. August 12) whether she would take part in the competition in Birmingham. Why? The Pole suffered a serious injury during one of the Diamond League meetings.
Ultimately, however, Żodzik passed the qualifying round without any knock-offs. However, she herself emphasized that she did not want to pass judgment on the final, because it is difficult to determine how the body will behave at higher altitudes.
Polish champion Maja Słodzińska burst into tears. Debuting at a senior event of this type, she ultimately finished at a height of 1.80 m.
– This is my second worst result of the season. At my dream party. I am very sorry (…) The season was very successful, being here was my dream. But I didn’t want such a result – said the debutant with tears in her eyes in front of TVP Sport cameras.
However, Słodzińska seems to have the best ahead of her. However, the athlete’s ambition in this case is great, so it is hardly surprising that she has such great emotions.
The third Polish woman, Wiktoria Miąso, achieved the best result of the season (1.88 m) – but it was not enough to advance to the final.
Athletics European Championship for the Polish national team. In two years in Chorzów!
The Polish athletics team has been participating in the Old Continent championship since its first edition. That is, since 1934, when the competition was held at the Mussolini stadium in Turin.
Only men took part in the competition held in 1934. However, the first championship for women was held in 1938 in Vienna, and both sexes have been competing together since the event in Oslo in 1946.
How have Polish women and men presented themselves over the years? The most medals, as many as 10, were won by the late legend – Irena Szewińska – in sprinting and long jump. Second in this respect is Anita Włodarczyk (hammer throw), with five medals (four gold and one bronze).
Interestingly, the two best performances (in terms of medals won) in the history of athletics were recorded by ME Poland… exactly 60 years ago – during the event in Budapest (1966) and just four years ago, at the event in Munich (2022). There were 15 medals won on Hungarian soil, and in the capital of Bavaria the Polish national team had a total of 14 medals.
And in just two years, the European Athletics Championships will be held in Chorzów, at the legendary Silesian Stadium.
The European Athletics Championship 2026 will last until Sunday (i.e. August 16) inclusive. Broadcasts from the event can be followed on TVP1, TVP2 and TVP Sport.
