It has been an unusually long wait for a nation so steeped in athletics pedigree. But Poland has not celebrated a global gold since Paweł Fajdek’s hammer triumph at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA.
Indoors the drought stretches even further back—to Birmingham 2018, when the men’s 4x400m relay squad and 800m runner Adam Kszczot delivered a memorable double gold.
Now, in on home territory in Kujawy Pomorze this weekend (20–22 March), the spotlight shines sharply upon their biggest hope for gold - Jakub Szymański.
The 60m hurdler arrives as both the face of the host nation’s ambitions and its strongest chance to end that wait.
Unbeaten in 11 races
His preparation has been nothing short of flawless. Across 11 races this season—heats and finals combined—he remains unbeaten, a run of dominance that has elevated him from European contender to genuine world title favourite.
Earlier this month in Berlin, Szymański underlined that status emphatically. Clocking 7.37, he shaved another 0.02 seconds off his own national record.
It was not just the time, but the manner: composed, controlled, and delivered under pressure in his final outing before the championships.
That performance capped a steady rise over the past year. After claiming gold at the Apeldoorn 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships, Szymański endured disappointment by missing the final at the last World Indoor Championships in Nanjing last year.
That memory now fuels his motivation. He has made no attempt to downplay expectations. “I feel like the favourite,” he said recently. “I believe I can win gold.”
Such confidence is not misplaced—but neither is the challenge straightforward.
USA threat and European hopes
Historically, this event has been dominated by the USA, whose athletes have claimed 13 of the last 21 world indoor titles. While reigning champion Grant Holloway is absent, the American threat remains formidable.
Dylan Beard and Trey Cunningham have also clocked 7.37 this year to share the leading season’s bests among the entries.
Yet this year’s contest feels more open—and more European—than usual.
France’s Wilhem Belocian, who won silver indoors at both world and European level last year, brings experience and consistency, while Spain’s European 110m hurdles silver medallist Enrique Llopis continues his ascent after strong championship performances over the past two seasons.
Italy’s Lorenzo Simonelli, the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships 110m hurdles gold medallist, adds further depth to the European challenge.
Home crowd hopes
Still, the primary focus—and the pressure—centres on Szymański.
Competing at home, in front of a Polish crowd eager for a long-awaited moment, he carries more than just personal ambition. He represents a chance to reconnect Poland with its recent golden past, to bridge the gap between Fajdek’s outdoor dominance and the indoor successes of 2018.
Momentum is on his side. Form is on his side. What remains is execution—over five barriers, in less than eight seconds, with a nation watching.