Gold, silver for Poles on day one of World Athletics Relays

Host nation Poland won two medals, a gold and a silver, on the first day of the World Athletics Relays, a high-profile track-and-field event in which teams from around the world compete in relay races.

Poland's Joanna Jóźwik and Patryk Dobek in action during the 2x2x400m mixed relay event at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów on Saturday.

Photo: PAP/Andrzej Grygiel

Poland's Joanna Jóźwik and Patryk Dobek grabbed the gold in the 2x2x400m mixed relay on Saturday, and the Polish team of Zuzanna Hulisz, Krzysztof Kiljan, Klaudia Wojtunik and Damian Czykier took the silver in the shuttle hurdles relay.

The first winners of the 2021 #WorldRelays are crowned! 🇵🇱

Joana Jozwik and Patryk Dobek bring home the victory for host nation Poland in the 2x2x400m relay in 3:40.92.

Kenya take second with Slovenia in close third. pic.twitter.com/FWQf5QgS8A

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 1, 2021

Chorzów: mieszana sztafeta płotkarska -

1. 🇩🇪56.53
2. 🇵🇱(Zuzanna Hulisz, Krzysztof Kiljan, Klaudia Wojtunik i Damian Czykier) 56.68
3. 🇰🇪59.89

— World Athletics Relays Silesia21 (@WASilesia21) May 1, 2021

Members of the Polish shuttle hurdles relay team celebrate their second-place finish. Photo: PAP/Andrzej Grygiel

Meanwhile, the Polish women's 4x100 m relay group of Paulina Guzowska, Klaudia Adamek, Katarzyna Sokólska and Pia Skrzyszowska secured a berth at this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Several hundred athletes from more than 30 countries have flocked to Poland to compete in the 2021 World Athletics Relays at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów on May 1 and 2.

The host nation has fielded a team of more than 40 athletes to represent it in all competitions making up the two-day event, including the 4x400m and 4x200m.

Poland's Dobek last month claimed 800m gold at the European Athletics Indoor Championships on home soil.

(gs)

Source: onet.pl, worldathletics.org, pzla.pl