Adam Kszczot and Justyna Swiety-Ersetic were named male and female Polish Athletes of the Year at the traditional annual gala held in Bydgoszcz, the host city of the 2019 European Athletics Team Championships Super League in August.
Kszczot created history by becoming the first athlete to win three successive 800m titles at the European Championships in Berlin, a feat he achieved with a remarkable acceleration in the last 200 metres for victory in a season’s best 1:44.59. Kszczot also won his first senior title at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham in March with another tactical masterclass.
Swiety-Ersetic won two gold medals in the space of three hours, winning the individual 400m title in a lifetime best of 50.41 before anchoring Poland to the 4x400m title in 3:26.59. Swiety also finished fourth in the individual 400m at the World Indoor Championships before winning silver in the 4x400m.
Swiety’s relay teammate Ida Baumgart-Witan was named female athlete of the region with world indoor and European outdoor 1500m silver medallist Marcin Lewandowski winning the men’s award. Relay coach Aleksandr Matusinski was named Coach of the Year and European 800m finalist Anna Sabat was the Breakthrough Athlete of the Year.
A special award was also given to the legendary Irena Szewinska, who passed away in June at the age of 72. The award was presented to her son Andrzej.