Poland finished seventh in the women's 4x400 metres relay final at the European Athletics Championships on Sunday after team leader Natalia Bukowiecka withdrew.
Bukowiecka was forced out of the race at the last minute after feeling pain in her calf. Her absence severely impacted Polish medal hopes heading into the final, with the quartet having qualified in eighth place on Friday, taking the last available spot for the final run.
The team had intended on Sunday to prove they could run faster than their qualifying performance and outperform rivals Belgium and France. Without Bukowiecka available, the Polish squad faced a difficult task against a competitive field.
Anna Gryc opened the race for Poland, completing her initial leg in 52.4 seconds. She handed the baton over to Kinga Gacka, who recorded a leg of 51.3 seconds to leave Poland in seventh position, ahead of only Germany.
Izabela Smolińska ran the third leg in 52.5 seconds, having replaced Alicja Wrona-Kutrzepa following the qualification round. Anastazja Kuś, the youngest member of the Polish squad, anchored the race with a split of 51.5 seconds to secure seventh place in a total time of 3:27.70 seconds, finishing ahead of the German team.
Dutch victory and European relay medals
The Netherlands won the gold medal with a season's best time of 3:21.10 seconds. The Dutch squad took the lead after the first 400 metres thanks to an impressive leg of 49.5 seconds from Lieke Klaver, before Myrte van der Schoot, Eveline Saalberg, and Femke Broeders-Bol sealed the title.
Great Britain secured the silver medal after entering the race as favorites, having posted a qualifying time of 3:22.25 seconds. Italy produced a strong display to claim bronze, while Spain finished fourth, just outside the podium positions, after having been projected to finish in the bottom half of the classification.
The European Athletics Championships is Europe's flagship outdoor track and field tournament, held to crown continental champions across multiple athletics disciplines. The women's 4x400 metres relay requires four sprinters to each complete one full 400 metre lap around the track while executing baton passes within specified exchange zones.
