❤️ WHILE THE ATHLETES WERE FIGHTING FOR MEDALS… THEY WERE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES. THIS POST IS FOR THEM! 🙌🏆

When the first athletes arrived at the start line, many of these people had already been working for hours.

When the medals were being awarded, someone was still taking care of the course, the Event Village, the Race Office, the broadcast, the volunteers, the facilities and hundreds of details that most participants would never even notice.

And that is exactly how it should be.

Because the best-organized events are those where thousands of hours of work behind the scenes become almost invisible to the athletes. ❤️

The European Nordic Walking Championships Bełchatów 2026 were three unforgettable days for nearly 1,000 participants from 23 countries — but for the team behind them, they were the culmination of months of preparation, meetings, phone calls, planning, problem-solving and enormous commitment.

Today there are no stopwatches. No results. No age categories.

Today, THE PODIUM BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CHAMPIONSHIPS. 🏆❤️

❤️ SPECIAL THANKS TO KRZYSZTOF MARCZAK

As the World Original Nordic Walking Federation, we would like to express our special thanks to Krzysztof Marczak – Director of the European Nordic Walking Championships 2026 and President of Klub Sportowy Nordic Walking Bełchatów.

Krzysztof, thank You for months of tremendous work, determination and heart put into organizing an event that brought together nearly 1,000 participants from 23 countries. 🌍❤️

We are proud that together we were able to create one of the world’s biggest Nordic Walking celebrations in Bełchatów. THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS! 🏆👏

🙌 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

| Marcin Skurnica – coordination and Event Village | Jan Kumaszka – race course and Event Village | Anna and Artur Sujewicz – volunteer coordination and refreshment stations | Aneta Majda – Race Office Manager | Beata Marczak – baggage deposit |

| Piotr Tokarczyk – photography | Marcin Ludew – photography | Marcin Szulc – streaming | Piotr Lebek / Panomedia – streaming production | Grzegorz Nakonieczny – announcer, lead commentator and streaming | Łukasz Witczuk – announcer and commentator |

| Mirosław Mielus – Director of PCS, venue facilities and support | Ula Pompa – warm-up |

⚖️ A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR INTERNATIONAL JUDGING TEAM!

There would be no fair competition, records or European Champions without the people responsible for ensuring that every athlete competed according to the same rules. Thank You for Your professionalism, focus and responsibility throughout these intense days of competition! ❤️

Chief Judge: Marek Kosecki
Start/Finish Judge: Katarzyna Przytuła
Video Analysis: Dariusz Janecki

Judges: Bezega Snizhana | Yuliia Shurhina | Katarzyna Kosecka | Agnieszka Janecka | Renata Markiewicz | Ewa Samek | Patrycja Bar | Dariusz Kosicki | Artur Biłek | Sławek Kacprzak | Dariusz Magnuski

🌍 Special thanks also go to the delegation of 15 judges from Taiwan 🇹🇼, led by the Chair of the Taiwan Judges Council – I YAO FANG.

Their presence in Bełchatów was much more than participation in the Championships. It was a unique international exchange of experience and knowledge, connecting Europe and Asia through our shared passion for Nordic Walking. 🌍🤝

Thank You to the entire judging team for standing guard over FAIR PLAY and the highest sporting standards of the European Championships! ⚖️🏆❤️

💚 AND OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS!

A huge thank You also goes to our volunteers, who were everywhere an extra pair of hands, a smile, information or support for the athletes was needed.

| Volunteers from Primary School No. 5 | Volunteers from the Primary School in Domiechowice | Volunteers from the Primary School in Dobrzelów | Volunteers from ZSP No. 2 |

You helped at refreshment stations, supported the Event Village and took care of countless other tasks without which an event of this scale simply could not run smoothly. Thank You for Your energy, time and commitment! 💚

📸 Thank You to those who captured these emotions in photographs.

🎥 To those who made it possible for people far beyond Poland to watch the competition in Bełchatów.

🎤 To those whose voices created the atmosphere of the Championships.

🏃 To those who prepared the course, Event Village and facilities.

📋 To those who took care of the Race Office, baggage deposit and hundreds of organizational details.

⚖️ To those who protected fair competition and the highest standards of judging.

💚 And to every volunteer who was ready to help from the early morning hours until the very end of the competition.

We often see great sporting events through medals, results and podium photos. But we know that their true foundation is PEOPLE. ❤️

People who work while others are still sleeping. Who solve problems that nobody will ever notice. Who are in the right place at the right time. And who do everything possible so that when an athlete stands on the start line, the only thing they need to think about is their race.

That is why today, the podium belongs to YOU. 🏆❤️

THANK YOU for every hour.
THANK YOU for every helping hand.
THANK YOU for every problem solved.
THANK YOU for leaving a piece of Your heart in Bełchatów.

Nearly 1,000 participants from 23 countries were able to experience these extraordinary Championships also because of YOU.

This was not just an organizing team.

This was a TEAM that together created the European Nordic Walking Championships Bełchatów 2026. 🌍🥢❤️

WE DID IT TOGETHER! 🏆🔥

| Klub Sportowy Nordic Walking Bełchatów | Łódzkie dla Ciebie | Powiat Bełchatowski | Gmina Bełchatów | Miasto Bełchatów | Nadleśnictwo Bełchatów | Panomedia | Polski Komitet Sportów Nieolimpijskich | Ministerstwo Sportu i Turystyki | Nordic Walking Poland |