Marcin Lewandowski will attack the long-standing Polish 2000m record at the Irena Szewinska Memorial, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Meeting, in Bydgoszcz on 19 August.
Lewandowski has never contested the 2000m although he has occasionally raced at distances beyond 1500m and the mile, most notably winning the Polish indoor 3000m title in Torun in 2019. But the mark which he endeavours to improve stands at 5:01.7 and has been held by Michal Bartoszak since 1991.
“Attacking the Polish record for 2000m will be something special in these strange times. The result has not been improved for many years and I believe that here, in front of my fans, I will be able to do it,” said Lewandowski, the reigning world 1500m bronze medallist.
“This will be the final competition [of the programme]; I will close the whole show and I hope that I will be able to light it with a new record.”
Competitions in Poland have been taking place behind closed doors up until now but under the guidelines as set by the Ministry of Health in Poland, up to 5000 spectators will be able to spectate in the Zawisza Stadium in mid-August.
The meeting organisers are also aiming to attract some international names to take on Poland’s finest athletes. Aside from Lewandowski among those confirmed on the track for the Irena Szewinska Memorial are European indoor 60m champion Ewa Swoboda, European 400m champion Justyna Swiety-Ersetic, three-time European 800m champion Adam Kszczot and Olympic 800m finalist Joanna Jozwik.
The field event programme will be highlighted by Kamila Licwinko in the high jump and two anticipated head-to-head duels: Konrad Bukowiecki and Michal Haratyk in the shot put and Pawel Wojciechowski and Piotr Lisek in the pole vault.
“This will be my most important start, because I will start in front of my audience,” said Wojciechowski, the reigning European indoor pole vault champion. “My goal will be victory, and I feel that the form is going up. I want to clear 5.85m. I count on high flying in Bydgoszcz.”