Record-breaking performance by Kacper Stępniak and victorious return of Lucy Buckingham

Submitted by karol@sportevo… on Mon, 06/12/2023 - 15:51

Last weekend, triathletes from around the world took over Warsaw. The winners of the Citi Handlowy IRONMAN 70.3 Warsaw were Kacper Stępniak and British athlete Lucy Buckingham. The event was graced by sports stars and dignitaries from Warsaw, Gdynia, and Poznań.

Citi Handlowy IRONMAN 70.3 Warsaw is arguably the most international mass sports event in our country. This year, over 2,000 triathletes from nearly 80 countries participated in the event held in the capital of Poland. Foreign participants accounted for 63% of all the participants in the IRONMAN 70.3 distance.

Michał Drelich, director of IRONMAN Poland

It's an absolute record in terms of nationalities, the highest number of foreign participants, and attendance. We are delighted that the popularity of the event continues to grow year after year. The atmosphere of these competitions is exceptional, and the level of endorphins per square meter is unmatched.

The winners of the Citi Handlowy IRONMAN 70.3 Warsaw were Kacper Stępniak and Lucy Buckingham. Kacper Stępniak became the second Polish athlete in history to claim victory in the IRONMAN 70.3 PRO category. He achieved this feat in great style, setting the fastest time in the history of Polish triathlon for this distance (3:37:41).

Behind him, a fierce battle unfolded between Mika Taagholt from Denmark and our European IRONMAN vice-champion, Robert Wilkowiecki. The sprint finish was won by the Dane, while popular "Wilku," who triumphed in Warsaw last year, had to settle for the lowest step on the podium this time.

Among women, Lucy Buckingham emerged as the fastest. The British athlete was considered a favorite from the beginning and lived up to expectations, securing a confident victory. It was a successful comeback for her in professional triathlon after an injury that prevented her from competing last season. Lottie Lucas (UAE) took second place, and Justine Guerard (FRA) crossed the finish line in third place.

On that day, our outstanding athlete Marek Plawgo made his triathlon debut. As promised, we will see him soon at the upcoming IRONMAN Poland events in Gdynia and Poznań. The Host Cities' Relay of IRONMAN in Poland, consisting of vice mayors from Gdynia, Warsaw, and Poznań, successfully completed the Olympic distance during Citi Handlowy 5150 Warsaw.

In the individual competition in the Olympic distance, Filip Szymonik and Agnieszka Gadomska triumphed in impressive fashion.

The next event of the IRONMAN Poland Tour 2023 will take place in Gdynia from August 4th to 6th.