The 1,000-m race was completed by 28 female and male competitors, while the 400-m race was completed by four of the youngest aspiring runners. The event’s guest of honour was MKS Bolesłavia representative Ewa Ochocka, the ninth-place finisher in last year’s World Youth Athletics Championships in the 400-metre hurdles, who also helped organise the race.
– I am very pleased that I can help with such a wonderful initiative. I am very happy that children are taking part alongside adults. I hope they will soon join the athletes of our club – says Ewa.
In addition to the 1,000-m race, the organisers also decided to hold a 400-m race for the youngest participants. – We want to encourage entire families to take part in the activities. As today’s event showed, we are gradually achieving this goal. The youngest participant in today’s race was Kacper Zazula, who came to the stadium with his grandmother. The other runners who completed the race were: Aleksandra Szymańska, Oskar Popieliński and Lena Staniszewska – says coach Bartosz Gruman.
Eighteen women and 10 men took part in the 1,000-m race. The race was an excellent opportunity to test themselves, but the participants primarily treated taking part in the competition as fun. Everyone encouraged one another and there was a wonderful atmosphere, showing that running can be great fun.
– That is how it is at all our sessions. We do not want them to turn into typical running training. However, for more advanced runners, one of us leads a session in a separate group to demonstrate ways of preparing for a specific race or beating a personal best – points out coach Dariusz Łomański.
A married couple who run also helped organise the race – Monika and Przemysław Lachowscy: – We are pleasantly surprised by the almost family-like atmosphere here. More and more runners can be seen in Bolesławiec, and initiatives like this will certainly bring even more of them. We warmly encourage everyone to take part in the initiative.
At the end of the event, everyone received commemorative certificates bearing their name and recorded time. – We will organise a similar race in autumn, so there will be an opportunity to assess your progress – the organisers add.
(information: Dariusz Łomański/ii)