Wasick & Masiuk Top Podiums At 2026 Polish Championships

2026 POLISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, April 21st – Friday, April 24th
• Aquasfera Water Recreation and Sports Center, Olsztyn, Poland
• LCM (50m)
• Results

The 2026 Polish Swimming Championships concluded last week in Olsztyn, with nearly 600 athletes competing for qualification for the European Championships.

34-year-old World Championships multi-medalist Kasia Wasick made her appearance at the four-day competition for the first time since 2019.

The veteran took on her signature 50m freestyle, where she grabbed the gold in decisive fashion, posting a time of 24.29 to clear the field by over a second.

Kornelia Fiedkiewicz was next to the wall in 25.35, while Adrianna Szwabinska rounded out the podium in 25.42.

Wasick told the Polish Swimming Federation after the race, “I’m glad I’m back in Olsztyn. I have very fond memories of this place—it was here that the qualifying rounds for the Rio and London Olympics took place.

“I didn’t expect such a result. I came here primarily to have fun and test my fitness. Initially, I wasn’t planning on competing at all, but my excellent coaches decided it was worth it, and… they were right! An additional plus is that I get to spend some time with my family, so this trip has only positive aspects for me.”

Wasick now takes over slot #4 in the season’s world rankings, sharing the position with Italian national record holder Sara Curtis.

The men’s edition of the 50m free saw a tie between Karol Ostrowski and Piotr Ludwiczak, who touched simultaneously in 22.36 to share the top of the podium.

Przemyslaw Pietron secured the bronze in 22.42.

For Ostrowski, his time represented the 6th-swiftest of his career, while Ludwiczak placed 4th in this event at the 2024 European Championships in a lifetime best of 21.90.

“We’re fighting for the minimum for Paris and we really came close, just nine hundredths of a second,” said Ludwiczak after the race.

“In sprinting, it’s often a matter of details: a better finish, one more move, a stronger take-off. This shows how close we are. I hope we can achieve this at the Polish Grand Prix in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. It’s another chance to achieve our goal.

“As for the joint first place, I’m very happy, especially since I’m tied for first with Karol Ostrowski. My main goal for this season is, of course, to achieve the minimum for Paris. Over the next month and a half, I want to continue working hard, but at the same time gradually reduce my training load. I believe we can catch up on those missing nine hundredths of a second,” says Ludwiczak.

16-year-old Barbara Lesninewska topped the women’s 200m freestyle podium in an effort of 1:59.00, capturing a European Championships-worthy result in the process.

Zuzanna Famulok touched in 1:59.80 as the silver medalist, as Wiktoria Guść bagged the bronze in 2:01.01.

“This is a huge achievement for me. I’m really happy and satisfied. I swam really well here: a fast pool, strong competition, all of this contributed to a good result. I think it was a really worthwhile start. I know there will come a time when I stop improving, but as long as I’m this close to my personal bests and keep breaking them, I want to make the most of it and enjoy it. Paris will be an important event for me, primarily for gaining experience. However, my main goal is the European Junior Championships, and I’d like to fight for medals there,” said Leśniewska.

Barbara Mazurkiewicz topped the women’s 50m breaststroke podium in a mark of 30.69 to hold a healthy advantage over Dominka Sztandera who touched in 30.97 as the runner-up. 

Anna Doroszkiewicz hit 31.53 to earn a 3rd-place finish. 

On her victory, Mazurkiewicz said, “Honestly, I’m a little surprised by this result, because judging by how I’ve been swimming since we arrived on Monday, I expected a slower result.

“But it’s actually okay. I was also a little nervous before the start because I felt like I was swimming a little differently than usual, more “deep” in the water, without my hips being as high, so I had some concerns. Fortunately, everything turned out very well. 

Ksawery Masiuk took the men’s 50m backstroke in a stellar outing of 24.47, representing the sole swimmer of the field to clear the 25-second barrier.

The 21-year-old international multi-medalist said after the race, “I feel like I’m swimming fast and I hope it will be even better at the European Championships.

The University of Texas-trained athlete continued, “However, I know it’s a process, and his main long-term goal is the Olympics.

“As for my trip to the United States, the beginning was difficult, as I had to get used to the new surroundings, new teammates, a new team, a new coach, and basically everything.

“Over time, however, I’m finding my place there better and better. By the end of the season, I even had a feeling I’d miss my teammates. And getting back to the European Championships in Paris, I can’t say too much, but I definitely want to improve my times and break personal records. That’s my main goal. As for results, we’ll see how it goes. There’s no point in setting too high expectations, because the entire process of transitioning to a new team and a new training system takes time. You can’t expect miracles right away.”

Masiuk now ranks 6th in the world in the men’s 50m backstroke event on the season.

Masiuk also topped the 100m backstroke podium, earning a dominant win in 53.37.

He opened in 25.33 and closed in 28.04 to produce his quickest of the season. His lifetime best remains at the 52.55 he delivered for gold at the 2025 edition of these championships.