UIPM 2019 Global Laser Run City Tour: Athletes of all ages inspired by Nowacka in Starogard Gdanski (POL)

Poland has a rich pedigree of male Olympic medallists, but only in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 did a woman enter the pantheon.

Her name was Oktawia Nowacka, and her bronze medal has given rise to a new surge of Pentathlon development in Poland. In her birthplace of Starogard Gdanksi, on June 15, this was evident when the city hosted its first Global Laser Run City Tour.

Participants took part in seven age categories, from Under 11 to Masters 50+, and they came from many regions of Poland including Gdansk, Gdynia, Tczew, Borkowo, Rokitki Tczewskie, Barchnow, Nowa Wies Rzeczna, Rokocin, Kotez, Kolincza, Bobowa, Kokoszkowy, Rumia and Starogard Gdanski.

Competition organiser Mariusz Noetzel said: “I like the idea of this competition formula, because Starogard Gdanski is the birthplace of the Olympic Pentathlon medallist, Oktawia Nowacka. This fact makes this event even more significant.”

The GLRCT was created in 2017 to provide an entry point to UIPM Sports for people of all ages in urban communities around the world.

Another 100 cities have been selected in 2019 as hosts of the GLRCT or the Biathle/Triathle National Tour. The full calendar can be viewed at the UIPM website, where you can also find more information on UIPM’s various multi-discipline sports.

In September, the UIPM Laser Run World Championships will be incorporated into the Pentathlon World Championships for the first time in Budapest (HUN), where Laser Run is also on the programme for the 1st World Urban Games.

In December, Laser Run and Triathle will both feature for the first time in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines.

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