The “triathlon king of Kraków” needed just 3:36:37 to complete the entire course in the capital of Małopolska. The weather was favourable. After Saturday’s heat, clouds covered the sky and the temperature dropped by more than 10 degrees.
Kacper faced very strong competition this year. For almost the entire race, he battled with Denmark’s Daniel Bækkegård, who came to Kraków as one of the favourites. However, the final few hundred metres belonged to the Polish athlete. Supported by fans lining the entire length of Grodzka Street, Kacper entered the Main Market Square with a lead of several dozen metres. In the end, he beat Bækkegård by 19 seconds.
I came here hoping to defend my victory from last year, but I knew it would not be easy because the field was much stronger than a year ago. Daniel and I fought until the final metres. The energy I had throughout the course came from the amazing fans. It could not have been any different in Kraków.
Kacper Stępniak – winner of Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków 2026
Without a doubt, the biggest star among the women racing in Kraków was Nikki Bartlett, whose list of victories at IRONMAN events is impressive enough for several athletes. Her victory in Małopolska was therefore no surprise, but the way she achieved it deserves great respect. The British athlete crossed the finish line in Kraków’s Main Market Square exactly 4:08:26 after the start. She finished more than a minute and a half ahead of Italy’s Francesca Crestani.
A few weeks ago, I had the idea to race in Kraków. Everyone I spoke to told me that it is a beautiful city and definitely worth visiting. I wanted to enjoy the day and the race, and it was absolutely amazing. Of course, I feel very proud of this victory.
Nikki Bartlett – women’s winner of Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków
The first Polish woman to cross the finish line in Kraków’s Main Market Square was Agnieszka Gadomska, who won the race in Gdynia two weeks earlier. The triathlete had already said before the race that she saw Kraków as a way to finish a successful season and would not be racing at full intensity.
This was my sixth race in seven weeks. I knew my body had its limits, so I’m happy that I made it to the finish line because I had a big battle with both my mind and my body. Luckily, it was quite cool today. If it had been as hot as yesterday, I’m not sure we would be standing here talking… (laughs).
Agnieszka Gadomska – first Polish woman to finish Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków
The Kraków crowd was fantastic today, giving every athlete a warm welcome at the finish line. But one athlete received a particularly enthusiastic response. Mateusz Krzyżanowski, much better known as Mini Majk, fulfilled his dream by competing in Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków, overcoming the barriers and challenges that a race like this presents for a person of short stature. He not only completed every stage within the time limits, but also continued the race after a serious fall on the bike, without calling for medical assistance.
I didn’t think about giving up, not even for a second. I just picked up my bike and kept going. The run was the hardest part for me, but I’m very happy.
Mini Majk – Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków finisher
Mini Majk is most likely the shortest adult to have ever completed an IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon.
Earlier, the influencer relay team SZKATUŁA Team 1 crossed the finish line. The team included well-known online creators and sports promoters Tromba, Krikej and @bez_zbednych_pytan, also known as Kuba Żurek. Each of them had previously competed individually in the world’s most famous triathlon series. This time, they decided to split the triathlon distance between them.
We all worked hard in this improvised relay team. Kris pushed really hard on the final run leg. I did the bike leg, and on my time trial bike I had to fight on every climb, especially as this course has almost no flat sections. It was a great training session for all three of us.
Mateusz “Tromba” Trąbka – sports influencer and member of the SZKATUŁA Team 1 relay
A hot 5K
The racing in Kraków began on Saturday. At 9:00 AM, the 5 km Good Morning Run got underway. Almost 1,000 runners competed for the best times on a course through the streets of the Old Town and along the Vistula Boulevards. The biggest challenge was the weather, with temperatures reaching almost 30 degrees Celsius during the race.
It is not a difficult course, but the views are really great. Maybe my result was not that impressive, but the result is not the only thing that matters. The heat played a big role today. Everyone was worried about it, and I used it to my advantage. I pushed harder when I saw my rival starting to slow down.
Adam Czerwiński – winner of the Good Morning Run
On Saturday at noon, children took over Kraków’s Main Market Square for the Pho3nix IRONKIDS races, held across six age categories. The oldest children, aged 13 to 15, competed over a running distance of around 1,600 metres. Karol Kwater won the boys’ race, while Blanka Czyż was the fastest among the girls. The youngest participants, who brought plenty of excitement to the crowd, were just 3 to 4 years old. Wiktor Żurek and Nela Mruk were the fastest over the approximately 100-metre course.
ENEA is the title sponsor of the IRONMAN Poland series. The City of Kraków is the strategic partner of Enea IRONMAN 70.3 Kraków. The Małopolska Regional Government and the City of Bochnia are event partners. Other sponsors and partners of the event include: Citi Handlowy, drWitt, Qemetica, Sportano.pl, Enterprise, Pho3nix, Cisowianka, Czanieckie Makarony, Wessper, Medical Sport, Arcyksiążęcy Browar Zamkowy Cieszyn, Shimano, Hydrex and 226ers. Jagiellonian University is the Social Partner.
