Armand Duplantis and Jakob Ingebrigtsen wrote themselves into history books on Sunday! Both set world records at the Diamond League meeting in Poland. - The best meeting deserves the best – the Norwegian stated. A new attendance record was also set at the Silesian Stadium. The Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial was watched by over 42 thousand fans.
There were four world record possibilities and two of them materialised on Sunday. After two appearances in the Silesian Stadium ending in 'just' six-metre clearances and meeting records, Armand Duplantis finally met his own expectations in his third showing. To deafening applause from the stands, the Swedish magician cleared 6.26 and was able to celebrate his tenth world record.
The 15th Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial could not have ended on a higher note.
– Poland, you are impossible – the greatest current athlete commented afterwards.
One afternoon, two world records. And a text message that said it all
The Diamond League in Silesia, with nearly 50 medalists of the last Olympic Games participating, pinned its greatest hopes on Duplantis. It was he who easily cleared 6.25 in Paris, barely three weeks ago. He followed that with a test competition in Lausanne and before coming to the Memorial he asked the organisers: - I need a longer run-up, can you make it happen?
They could. And he paid them back in the best possible way, clearing a height that no one could have dreamt of just a few years ago.
– On previous occasions I was not leaving fully satisfied. I jumped high, but the vision of setting records is not pressure others put on me. It is something I have inside me. This venue and the competition, one of the best on the calendar, deserve all the best. I finally got the job done – he stated after resting from his mad joyous run around the Witches' Cauldron.
After converting all results into World Athletics points, Duplantis also turned out to be the historic first MVP of the meeting. It is a new prize at the Skolimowska Memorial. In addition to a 50 thousand dollar bonus he will receive an extra 10 thousand.
– We really did something great today – said Emmanouil Karalis, the Greek who was one of three vaulters to clear the six-metre barrier on the day. This was a first in the history of athletics!
Piotr Lisek did not play a significant part in the competition on this occasion. He cleared 5.72, finishing eighth.
– In a field like this? There is no shame in that – stated the former star athlete Marcin Lewandowski, delighted also by what was happening on Sunday in other events.
Lewandowski felt it even more deeply, as he took an active part in the breaking of another world record at the „Kama”. It was our World Championships medalist from 2019 who stood by the side of the track as a spectacular 3000 metre race started. The task was simple: to keep an eye on a stopwatch, making sure Jakob Ingebrigtsen covers each lap at a designated pace. The Norwegian, whose shoes broke during his last training, causing fears of withdrawal, asked the Pole for the support himself. When a new pair of spikes were delivered to him, he asked for the pacemaker to help him set a world record. He did not speak in vain. He did not just break the record, he smashed it.
– 7:17.55? That is something. It is a result you could not dream about before the race. But I told you when I arrived: I want to be the best in the world wherever I appear. I am happy I could confirm that in fromt of such audience. This gives me a sense of relief – he said. His coach then sent to the organisers a significant text message: „The best meeting organiser deserves the best. Thank you! Perfect”.
Ingebrigtsen improved on the previous world record by over three seconds. Poland witnessed a record mark for the first time since Duplantis vaulted 6.17 in 2020. Patience paid off in a major way.
– I do not know what to say. I think I even shed a tear – admitted the meeting's sports director Piotr Małachowski.
Poland does justice to the Diamond League label. The stars shone brightly
There were more occasions to get emotional on Sunday. It was right at the start of the „Kama” that our two champions, Anna Kiełbasińska and Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik, said goodbye to the fans. After their final round of honour, the racing started in earnest.
– Letsile Tebogo was fantastically fast in the 200 metres. 19.83? That came as a shock. As was what Fred Kerley did at 100, his 9.87. Or Marco Arop in the 800, breaking 1:42 yet again this summer, finishing in 1:41.86. Those are all meeting records and results near the top of this season's world lists. Nelly Chechirchir and her 2:31.24 is the fastest 1000 metre race in the world this year, and eleventh place on the all-time list. We can go on and on. Both 400 metres hurdles races, with Femke Bol (52.13) and Karsten Warholm (46.95), who visited us for the first and likely not the last time, are two separate great histories of our sport – said the emotional Marek Plawgo, the meeting's communications director. He added: - We were probably all looking the hardest at the women's 400 metres. At Natalia Kaczmarek.
Just as she did in Paris, the Polish one-lap queen finished in third.
– Well? You were saying you are out of shape and your form went on vacation. We knew you still had something in your legs – the reporters teased her after the race she finished in 49.95, not far behind Salwa Eid Naser and Marileidy Paulino. Silesia saw a repeat of the podium from the Stade de France.
– That is how I felt. But I swear to you, when I heard the scream of the near-full house crowd in the tunnel, I told myself: no, Natka. For those people, you need to grit your teeth. I did all I could. The hot weather did not allow me to do more, but I am proud of myself anyway – she commented.
A moment later, she was hugged by the fans. It was for her, the only Pole to make the Olympic podium, that many of them came to the stadium.
Every event resembling a major championship final. Swoboda: I love you all
Fading into the background, but nonetheless notable was Klaudia Kazimierska's showing on Sunday. The 1500 metre specialist ran the distance in under four minutes for the first time (3:59.95). Despite missing out on the final, Pia Skrzyszowska could have been satisfied with her performance, too. Her 12.58 did not make the final, but it is more evidence that the young Pole is becoming consistent at top level. The winner, Ackera Nugent, was unstoppable with her 12.29. Naturally, that was also a new meeting record.
Not all Poles who had the honour of competing at this year's Diamond League were able to leave fully satisfied. In the main memorial event – the hammer throw – Paweł Fajdek and Wojciech Nowicki were no match for Ethan Katzeberg (80.03). Ewa Swoboda finished the 100 metres in 11.03. The time will not make it into the world list. The following wind during the race was over the allowable limit.
– I am ending a season which was not easy for me, but also one in which I made the European Championships podium. I learned a lot, I do not feel fulfilled after the Games. But I thank you all for support. What happened today in the Silesian Stadium is unfathomable. I love you all – she stressed.
The date for 2025 is set. „You are invited for more records”
The meeting will now be evaluated in terms of figures and statistics by the Diamond League and World Athletics. The expectation in Silesia is that the two world records and the high-quality fields will allow the meeting to come close to the achievement of last year. Only the League final in Eugene received a higher score that season.
– What is more significant for us are all the small pieces of feedback: that an athlete was carried by the cheering from the crowd, that the hotel was comfortable, that transportation ran on time. Those are all words that motivate us to get better from year to year – stated Marcin Rosengarten, head of the organising committee. Piotr Małachowski added: - when we started out after Kamila's passing, nobody could have dreamt we would go such a long way in 15 years. We are not forgetting about her. This is her event, it is where her heart of gold keeps on beating. It is for her that one day we will be the best in the world. The records will keep on falling for her – he said.
We now know that the 2025 edition of the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial will again take place in August.
– For those who cannot wait for it, we inform you: it will be Saturday, 9 August. Look out for the tickets. We believe that after the wonders of this year, they will sell even faster – said Małachowski with a wink.
The title sponsor of the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial is the Silesian Voivodeship. The meeting has received financing from the portion of the state budget at the disposal of the Minister for Sports and Tourism. The event has received financial support from the State Fund for Rehabilitation of Disabled People and its co-organisers are the Silesian Stadium and World Athletics.
