A nation expected — and Jakub Szymański delivered.
The Polish star thrilled a packed home crowd by storming to gold in the men’s 60m hurdles at the Kujawy Pomorze 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships on Saturday (21).
The victory adds a world indoor title to the European indoor crown he won in Apeldoorn last year, and marks the first global medal of the 23-year-old’s career.
Szymański handles pressure as Cunningham falters
From the semi-finals earlier in the evening, USA’s Trey Cunningham had looked the man to beat after clocking a leading 7.35. But in a high-quality final, it was Szymański who held his nerve when it mattered most.
Cunningham, Spain’s Enrique Llopis, France’s Wilhelm Belocian and Jamaica’s Demario Prince were all in contention over the final barrier, but the Pole found an extra gear on the run-in, edging ahead to claim gold in 7.40.
Llopis clocked a national record of 7.42 to secure silver — adding to his 110m hurdles silver from the Roma 2024 European Championships — while Cunningham had to settle for bronze in 7.43.
For the home fans, it was a moment to savour. Szymański’s triumph delivered Poland’s first global athletics gold since Paweł Fajdek’s hammer title at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon.
It also marked the nation’s first world indoor gold since Birmingham 2018, when both the men’s 4x400m relay team and 800m runner Adam Kszczot topped the podium.