On 6 February, Toruń will witness the next edition of the prestigious ORLEN Copernicus Cup, included in the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold series. In the city of Copernicus, fans of the queen of sport will be treated to a spectacle with a common denominator – duels between Poles and the rest of the world. When is the ORLEN Copernicus Cup? At what time? Broadcast on Super Polsat, Polsat Sport, Polsat Sport Premium 1 and online on Polsat Box Go.
Event director Krzysztof Wolsztynski is confident that Polish athletics stars will be able to successfully compete with great rivals from abroad. – In Torun, spectators are very close to what is happening on the arena floor, and there is a lot going on there. Athletes from all over the world create an unforgettable theatre of emotions, of sporting elation. It will be something exciting and something you simply have to see live from the stands of the Arena Toruń,’ says Wolsztynski.
In the 60m run, world tables leader Ewa Swoboda – 7.04 – will face, among others, the great Italian Zaynab Dosso and Luxembourg representative Patrizia van der Weken.
- I love the hall in Toruń. It is where I achieved my best times in my career. I’m getting faster this year and I’m counting on the fantastic cheering of my fans in the hall in Toruń,’ says Swoboda.
In the hurdles sprint, Pia Skrzyszowska will try to improve her Polish record. The Pole has been in sensational form since the beginning of the season, and on Tuesday in Toruń she will have someone to compete with. Among those standing at the start will be Reetta Hurske from Finland and Nadine Visser from the Netherlands.
- There will be someone to run against, and I love the direct competition. I am looking forward to it. Sure, I would like to improve the Polish record, but it has to come naturally,” points out Skrzyszowska.
In the men’s competition, the star will be the new national record holder at this distance – Jakub Szymański. His 7.47 from Sunday’s race in Düsseldorf is the best result ever by a Pole indoors in the 60m dash. In Torun he will face the very good Italian Lorenzo Simonelli, as well as, among others, former Polish record holder Damian Czykier.
In the 800 run, rivals returning to the track after months of problems for Olympic medallist Patryk Dobek will include Mateusz Borkowski and Tony van Diepen from the Netherlands, Andreas Kramer from Sweden and Britain’s Daniel Rowden or Moroccan Abdelati El Guesse. In the women’s competition over this distance, Angelika Sarna, Anna Wielgosz and Margarita Koczanowa will face the sensational Ethiopians Habitam Alemu and Worknesh Mesele.
Many LA fans are sharpening their teeth for the duel between Justyna Święty-Ersetic and Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands. The 400m run will also feature Marika Popowicz-Drapała and Tereza Petrzilkova from the Czech Republic.
In addition to the best Polish athletes, such stars as Budapest’s world vice-champion in the 1,500 metres, Diribe Welteji, and 800 metres medallists at the World Indoor Championships, Halimah Nakaayi and Freweyni Hailu, will appear on the stage. In the sprint we will see, among others, European indoor championships medallists Henrik Larsson and Jan Volko. As for the technical competitions, there will be great pole vaulters led by Greece’s Karalis and five triple jumpers with personal records of over 17.40.
Karalis will be challenged by Piotr Lisek, who won the Silver category mythathlon in Düsseldorf on Sunday with a jump of 5.75.
- Every competition is better, and in Torun it will be the best. Let’s meet at altitude,’ invites Poland’s record-holder Lisek to the Orlen Copernicus Cup.
When is ORLEN Copernicus Cup? At what time?
This year’s ORLEN Copernicus Cup will be the fourth of seven stops in the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold series. After competitions in Astana, Ostrava and Boston, it is Toruń and Kuyavia and Pomerania that will be the focus of attention of the athletics world.
