On August 23rd, at the Diamond League in Silesia, Ewa Swoboda will face the world’s two greatest sprinters: world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Olympic champion Julien Alfred. Places on the startlists of the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial have also been reserved for the Polish medalists of the World Indoor Championships in Toruń: Jakub Szymański, Natalia Bukowiecka and Pia Skrzyszowska. Tickets are available for purchase now.
This year’s edition of the only Diamond League meeting in our part of Europe is exactly 5 months away. The process of filling the startlists is already in full swing. That makes the announcement of the star-studded field in the women’s 100 metre race even more exciting. Poland’s Ewa Swoboda will face rivals of the highest caliber: the world champion from Tokyo, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and the reigning Olympic champion Julien Alfred. The latter, representing the tiny island of St. Lucia, took the bronze medal at the recent World Indoor Championships in Toruń at 60 metres.
– Honestly? I could not imagine a stronger lineup for Polish fans. And, regarding this duo, possibly anywhere in the world – stated Piotr Małachowski, sports director of the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial.
– Nowadays every sprinter in the world and every fan of sprinting pays attention to those names. These two set the standard in the 100 metres and are icons of the event. I now know I will not have it easy in August – Swoboda said with a smile, adding: – I am proud that we can host events of this kind in Poland, with athletes of their caliber in our stadiums. The chance to face them motivates me. It is not that you compare personal bests and immediately feel like the loser. Just the opposite.
The announcement is made even more exciting by the fact that Alfred (PB 10.72) has rarely raced against Jefferson-Wooden on the circuit. Face-offs between the best in this event are usually limited to major championships, where the bragging stops and head-to-head fight begins. Alfred – the only Olympic medalist ever to come from her island – certainly has something to prove after Tokyo. Especially to herself. Since she rose to the top in Paris, everyone is out to get her in the 100 metres. And the one to do it was Melissa.
– It is good to have your competition calendar planned well in advance, or at least the highlights. I treat going to Poland as one of them. I have high aspirations and the will to present the best version of myself. I have already heard the Polish fans are worth giving your best for – Alfred said.
Jefferson-Wooden is already familiar with the atmosphere after competing here last year.
– Honestly, it was one of the best days of my entire season. The atmopshere in Poland surprised me in the best possible way. After competing in Poland for the first time in 2022 I always expected a great crowd, but I got the impression it became even better in the last 3 years, it was incredible. On the track you can feel the energy and the emotions – that is something that stays with you after the race. So, when the opportunity to go back this summer appeared, I did not have to think for long. I am happy to revisit Poland. I cannot wait to see where I am with my preparations for the Ultimate Championship – the American commented.
The oustanding 10.66 that Melissa ran at the „Kama” in 2025, was the second-fastest time of the season in the world at that point. It was only she who ran faster last year, including at the World Championships in Tokyo (10.61, putting her at number 4 on the all-time list). She not only dethroned Alfred in that event, but also took gold in the 200 metres and the 4×100 metre relay.
– Her time from Silesia also equalled the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial record – recalls Marek Plawgo, the meeting’s communications director. – As well as the Polish all-comers record. Now Jefferson-Wooden shares the mark with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. We like having two meeting records, but thay take up more space in the tables. We are not forcing you, but, dear ladies, perhaps you could do something about it this year? – Plawgo said with a wink.
Also eagerly awaited is Swoboda’s showing against top-quality opposition. On August 23rd, the fastest Pole this century will make the eighth appearance at the Skolimowska Memorial of her career. Especially memorable was her showing in 2023. Shortly before the World Championships in Budapest, she became the first Polish runner in 37 years to break 11 seconds.
– That is a good coincidence, as this year’s prime event will take place soon after in Budapest as well – Małachowski said with a smile.
But the female sprinters are just the start of a long list to be published in the coming weeks. The first name – announced last year – was Armand Duplantis, the 15-time world record setter in the pole vault, who became the world indoor champion for the fourth time in Toruń on Saturday. In August the Swede will appear at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial for the fifth time. In 2024 he set a world record here with 6.26.
Apart from Mondo, others who are certain of a place at the Polish Diamond League include the 400 metres runner-up from Toruń, Natalia Bukowiecka, the world indoor champion in the 60 metres hurdles, Jakub Szymański and Pia Skrzyszowska, who took the bronze medal in the same event.
Tickets to the Diamond League in Poland on August 23rd are available for purchase on the MemorialKamili.pl website.