Polish runner Klaudia Kazimierska secured the silver medal in the women's 1500 metres at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, finishing second behind British Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell.
The 25-year-old launched her attack 200 metres from the finish line, with only the 33-year-old Bell able to match her pace before pulling ahead to claim gold. France's Agathe Guillemot had also been considered a key medal contender alongside Bell, but Kazimierska drove the pace into the final stretch.
The 12-runner final was marked by constant jostling and positioning, forcing Kazimierska to fight her way forward several times after dropping toward the rear of the field. Her Polish teammate Weronika Lizakowska, who holds the national record set at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, finished ninth. Lizakowska described the final as a relentless battle for position and the hardest race of her life, stating that she was unable to execute her strategy as intended.
Rise through international competition
While Lizakowska set her national mark in Paris, Kazimierska has experienced rapid growth since making her major senior debut at those same 2024 Olympic Games at age 23. Having not previously competed at a World or European Championships, Kazimierska reached the Olympic final in Paris and finished 10th.
Her progression continued at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where she finished seventh as the highest-placed European runner. Earlier in 2026, at the World Indoor Championships in Toruń, near her hometown of Włocławek, she finished sixth.
Kazimierska told Polish journalists after her performance in Toruń that missing out on a medal at home was frustrating, but expressed confidence that she was ready to reach the podium at the European Championships in Birmingham.
American training and coaching
Kazimierska attributes her transformation to her decision to move to the United States in 2021. She relocated from Włocławek to Eugene, Oregon, to combine studying mathematics with training at one of the world's leading distance running programs.
After graduating with a degree in mathematical analysis, Kazimierska chose to remain in Eugene to train under coach Jerry Schumacher, who has guided multiple athletes to Olympic medals. Last year, she signed a contract with sportswear manufacturer Nike, which was founded in Oregon. In her role with the company, Kazimierska advertises its running shoes through international competition.
Kazimierska explained that years of living in the United States helped her adopt an American mindset. She said interacting with local athletes made her more open, optimistic, and forward-looking, instilling a strong belief in her own potential rather than feeling restricted as a competitor from Poland.
Off-track routines and focus
Away from the track, Kazimierska relies on specific mental exercises during competitions. She travels to events with a Rubik's cube, which she can solve in two minutes, as well as sudoku puzzles.
Kazimierska has stated that scrolling through a smartphone is pointless and prefers focusing on logic puzzles. Although she holds a degree in mathematical analysis, she noted that her math background does not directly assist her running, attributing her recent achievements instead to her growing self-belief.
