2021 POLISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- April 28 – May 2, 2021
- Lublin, Poland
- Long Course Meters (LCM)
- Olympic Qualification Meet
- Meet Website
- Live Results
- Day 1 Prelims | Day 1 Finals
- Day 2 Prelims | Day 2 Finals
- Day 3 Prelims | Day 3 Finals
- Day 4 Prelims | Day 4 Finals
On the final day of racing at the 2021 Polish Swimming Championships, athletes will have one last shot at hitting times that will earn them consideration for the 2020 Polish Olympic team. Among those events which will be raced during day 5 finals are the women’s and men’s 100 backstroke and 200 IM, the women’s 1500 freestyle, men’s 800 freestyle, as well as the 50 breaststroke for both men and women.
With it isn’t an Olympic event, the men’s 50 breaststroke prelims were an exciting race as Jan Kozakiewicz delivered a new Polish record of 27.17. That swim for Kozakiewicz improves upon Dawid Szulich‘s former mark of 27.48 which he set on July 30, 2013, at World Championships. The swim for Kozakiewicz was his first time cracking 28 in the event, having gone in with a PB of 28.02 which he swam earlier this year. Rafeł Kusto was the second-fastest prelims swimmer with a 27.89 while Mateusz Krystyniak and Bartosz Skóra tied for third seed with a 28.31.
On the women’s side, Weronika Hallmann claimed the top spot heading into the 50 breast prelims with a 32.10 while Polish record holder Dominika Sztandera was close behind in a 32.29. Sztandera’s national record in the event is a 31.07 which she hit exactly 4 years ago on May 2, 2017. Wiktoria Samuła was the third quickest swimmer during the heats with a 32.43.
During the prelims, Paulina Peda gave herself the top seed heading into the 100 backstroke finals with a swim of 1:01.80. While it was fast enough to out-swim the field during the heats, Peda was just a bit over her own PB in the event of 1:00.97 as well as the FINA A standard of 1:00.25. She did, however, get under the FINA A of 1:02.41. Agata Naskret came in with a 1:02.41 for second seed while Klaudia Naziębło posted a 1:02.57 for third.
One notable absence from the field was the Polish record holder in the event Alicja Tchórz who holds a 1:00.61 from 2015 but decided not to swim the event this week.
In the men’s 100 backstroke, a solid race has been staged for the final as 8 men swam between a 55.02 and 55.85 in the prelims. Leading the way was Ksawery Masiuk who swam a 55.02 to shave 0.36 seconds off his PB of 55.38, as well as 0.34 seconds off the previous Polish 17-year-old age group record in the event which stood at a 55.36, set by Filip Kosiński earlier this year.
Kosiński was also present in the prelims, hitting a 55.61 for 5th seed while Radoslaw Kawęcki (55.11), Tomasz Polewka (55.26), and Karol Młynarczyk (55.27) filled out the top 5. All of them were under the FINA B standard of 55.47 and will be gunning for a top 2 finish during the final, each fighting to get under the 55-second barrier.
In the men’s 200 IM, Kacper Bidowaniec established a solid best time of 2:04.81, getting down from the 2:07.03 that he swam earlier this year. He’s now within striking distance of the 18-year-old age record in the event which is held by Michal Poprawa at a 2:03.18, set in 2012. Following Bidowaniec in the prelims, Marcel Wagrowski swam a 2:05.47 to trail his 2019 best time of 2:00.70 while Dawid Szwedzki hit a 2:05.78, compared to his fastest-ever swim of 2:01.85 from back in 2018.
On the women’s side, Zuzanna Famulok swam the quickest 200 IM with a 2:21.33 but Kinga Paradowska and Gabriela Herbreder won’t give her much room for error during the final, having posted swims of 2:21.88 and 2:21.98, respectively. Another important name to watch, however, will be Aleksandra Knop who was only a 2:24.25 during the prelims but will likely be faster during the final, holding a PB in the event of 2:17.68 and having swum a 2:20.18 in the event at the 2019 World Championships.