At a ceremony in the north-central city of Toruń on Thursday, the flag of World Athletics, the sport’s global governing body, was raised in a symbolic handover marking the event’s transition to the Polish host region.
The ceremony followed the official handover of a World Athletics flag to the Polish delegation by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe during the 2025 championships in Nanjing, China, which ended on Sunday.
Next year, Toruń will welcome the world’s top athletes as they compete for medals at the indoor championships, scheduled for March 20-22.
"For years, we’ve been demonstrating how important athletics is in our region," said Piotr Całbecki, chairman of Poland’s Kujawy-Pomorze region, which includes Toruń. "The World Athletics Indoor Championships will be the crowning achievement of our efforts."
Krzysztof Wolsztyński, deputy head of the Polish Athletics Association, said organisers expect top-tier competition and are working to create a schedule that will keep fans engaged throughout the event.
"We expect the best athletes from around the world, and we plan to craft a timetable that will keep fans excited every day, cheering for athletes," Wolsztyński said.
Polish 800m runner Patryk Sieradzki expressed enthusiasm about competing in the championships on home soil.
"This is a great symbol and recognition of the hard work we put in every day," he said. "Just a few days ago, we were on the other side of the world competing for medals, and next year we’ll be doing it at home.”
Long jumper Anna Matuszewicz reflected on her missed opportunity to compete at the 2021 European Indoor Championships, which were also held in Toruń.
"It was disappointing when I didn’t qualify," she said. "I was young, ambitious, and eager to perform in front of my home crowd. Now, I’m progressing in the senior ranks and getting closer to the top. I hope to compete in this prestigious indoor event here in Poland."
With less than a year to go, organisers say they are working to ensure the championships meet the highest standards.
"We’ve already had an initial visit from the World Athletics delegation, and we've received their feedback, suggestions and detailed reports," said Wolsztyński. "There’s still a lot of work ahead, but I’m confident it will be an unforgettable event."
The World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 aims to be a landmark event in the region’s sporting history, blending world-class competition with local enthusiasm and support, according to officials.
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Source: worldathletics.org