Klaudia Kazimierska Wins 1500m After Breakthrough Season
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Polish middle-distance runner Klaudia Kazimierska finally turned a season of near-misses into a major victory, winning the women’s 1500 metres at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.
Kazimierska clocked 3:57.55 to finish ahead of Paris 2024 Olympic 800m bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell, who crossed the line in 3:57.72. American runner Nikki Hiltz took third in 3:58.16.
The victory marked an important moment for Kazimierska after repeatedly finishing just outside the top position during the season.
Kazimierska Finds the Final Step
The 25-year-old said her results throughout the season helped her understand what she needed to change.
After recording fourth-, third- and second-place finishes in different races, Kazimierska focused on putting herself in a stronger position during the decisive stages of races.
She said every competition provided an opportunity to learn and helped her identify the small details that had been preventing her from winning.
A Tactical Finish in Budapest
The final stages of the Budapest race tested Kazimierska’s ability to maintain her position.
Hunter Bell attempted to move past her from the outside, but Kazimierska recognised the situation from her own experiences earlier in the season.
The Polish runner remained focused through the final turn and saved enough energy for the home straight, where she held off Hunter Bell to secure the victory.
Kazimierska said she knew the final stretch would require everything she had left and stayed committed to her race plan.
Diamond League Victory Changed Her Mindset
Kazimierska’s Budapest success came just one week after another major breakthrough.
At the Diamond League final in Brussels on 5 September, she won the women’s 1500m in 3:54.05.
That performance was a world-leading time at the time, as well as a meeting record and Polish national record.
The Brussels victory also helped strengthen her belief that she could compete for wins rather than simply aiming for a place near the front.
Her coach had encouraged her throughout the season to put herself in a position where winning was possible.
Kazimierska Believes in Her Ability
Kazimierska acknowledged that confidence had been an important part of her progress.
Earlier in the season, she said she had often approached races with the goal of reaching the top five or top four instead of genuinely expecting to win.
Her mindset changed in Brussels and continued into the Ultimate Championship.
The Polish runner explained that she had previously found herself too far behind or running on the outside, which made it harder to challenge for victory.
By putting herself closer to the front at the right moment, she was able to give herself a genuine opportunity to win.
Focus Turns to the Future
Despite her recent victories, Kazimierska remains cautious about making comparisons with major championships.
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship used a different format from the Olympics and World Championships, with athletes competing without the multiple rounds normally required at those events.
Kazimierska said the next season will provide a more significant test of her progress.
Her immediate goal is to continue improving and earn another opportunity to compete at the highest level.
The back-to-back victories in Brussels and Budapest, however, have given the Polish 1500m runner a new level of confidence as she looks ahead to the next stage of her career.
