On the last weekend of August, the 27th - 29th, the third edition of ABM Jędraszek UltraPark Weekend was held (IAU Bronze Label Event). This time the entire world heard about the event in Pabianice, Poland. It was all due to the fantastic performance of Lithuanian Aleksandr Sorokin, who made history by running 309,399 km in the 24HR event. This is the World Best Performance, surpassing the mark set by legendary Yiannis Kouros in 1997, by almost 6 km (303,506 km set on the track)! What an outstanding event.
This year in Pabianice there were three long-distance runs – the 3rd Polish Cup in the 48-hour run, the 24-hour run, and the 100-kilometer run - which in these uncertain times attracted both male athletes and female competitors. Both the 100 km and the 24-hour were Polish National Championships as well.
The first run, UltraPark 48h, the Polish Cup in the 48-hour run, began on Friday at 18:30. With a result of 367.788 km, Michał Koziarski won, setting a route record and improving his last year's result by 26.189 km! Second place went to Bartosz Fudali (348.553 km) and the third to Adrian Kostera, who covered 195 loops (336.485 km). The best among women was Marlena Radziszewska (a sensational 306.575 km, 6th open), second place was taken by Beata Kołodziejczak (265.728 km), and third place by local runner from Pabianice - Izabela Stusio (239.93 km).
On Saturday, at 7 am, the second run of the festival began - UltraPark 24h, which also included the 14th PZLA Polish Championship in the 24-hour run. On the starting line, there were famous and titled names from the top of the Polish ultra races, such as Patrycja Bereznowska, Aneta Rajda, Monika Biegasiewicz, Leszek Małyszek, Przemysław Basa, and the record holder and Polish 24-hour Champion Andrzej Piotrowski. In addition to the Polish stars, runners from Lithuania and Ukraine, including Aleksander Sorokin, Andrii Tkachuk, and Viktoria Nikolaienko, took part in the event. It was all taken by Aleksandr, who made the eyes of the whole running world turn to the Park of Freedom in Pabianice on Sunday morning. Alexander Sorokin did something that many experts considered impossible: he broke the World Best Performance set by Yiannis Kouros 24 years ago in the 24-hour race! The Lithuanian, who is in phenomenal shape this year, covered 179 UltraPark laps within 24 hours, equaling 309.399 km - almost six kilometers farther than the legendary Greek!
The second competitor in the open category was the Ukrainian, Andrii Tkachuk (295.363 km - a better result than the previous world record on asphalt), and the third place went to current Polish champion Andrzej Piotrowski, whose result of 272.606 km not only gave him again the title of Polish Champion in the 24-hour race, but is also a new national record. Patrycja Bereznowska (242.827 km) took first place among women, and Viktoria Nikolaienko was second, whose result of 236.624 km is also a new record for Ukraine. Third place was taken by Aneta Rajda, who at the same time was second in the Polish 24-hour Championship (232.857 km).
On the third day of the festival, at eight o'clock in the morning, the 100 km Supermarathon started, which also included the 13th PZLA Polish Championships in the 100 km race. Early in the competition, Dariusz Nożyński from Warsaw pulled away from the rest of the field. He pursued a lonely fight to defend the title of the Polish 100 km Champion and the attempt to break the Polish record of 6:23:34 set in 1994 by Jarosław Janicki. In the end, he crossed the finish line after 6 hours, 30 minutes and 26 seconds, thereby improving his personal best by 24 minutes! Dariusz also set the best result in history in the 6h (split) on asphalt with 92.946 km
Second place in the Polish championship was taken by Tomasz Jędrzejko (7:51:09), and the bronze medal went to Roman Elwart (7:52:46).
The Polish Champion in the 100 km womens’ race was taken by Adrianna Czyżowska (8:58:36), silver went to Hanna Nejfeld (9:32:15), and the bronze to Karolina Romańska (10:14:53).
48-hour open race results
Women
1. Marlena Radziszewska 306.575 km
2. Beata Kołodziejczak 265.728 km
3. Izabela Stusio 239.93 km
Men
1. Michał Koziarski 367.788 km
2. Bartosz Fudali 348.553 km
3. Adrian Kostera 336.485 km
24-hour open race results
Women
1. Patrycja Bereznowska 242.827 km
2. Viktoria Nikolaienko 236.624 km
3. Aneta Rajda 232.857 km
Men
1. Alexander Sorokin 309.399 km
2. Andrii Tkachuk 295.363 km
3. Andrzej Piotrowski 272.606 km
24-hour Polish Championships
Women
1. Patrycja Bereznowska 242.827 km
2. Aneta Rajda 232.857 km
3. Natalia Tejchma 209,296 km
Men
1. Andrzej Piotrowski 272.606 km
2. Leszek Małyszek 256,081 km
3. Jakub Śleziak 249,179 km
100 km Polish Championships
Women
1. Adrianna Czyżowska 8:58:36
2. Hanna Nejfeld 9:32:15
3. Karolina Romańska 10:14:53
Men
1. Dariusz Nożyński 6:30:26
2. Tomasz Jędrzejko 7:51:09
3. Roman Elwart 7:52:46
More info and pictures at Ultra Park Weekend
Prepared by: Piort Kardas, race director.