US sprinter Sam Blaskowski seeks Polish citizenship after clocking 9.89 seconds

Citizenship declaration and ancestry

American sprinter Sam Blaskowski publicly confirmed his intention to switch national allegiance and represent Poland in international track competitions. The 24-year-old athlete, who also appeared listed as 23 in some meet registries, traces his lineage back to Poland through his great-grandparents Franciszek and Julian, who emigrated to the United States in 1905. Franciszek Błaszkowski originally came from Sompolno near Konin in the Wielkopolska region. Following discussions initiated by Polish national sprint coach Piotr Maruszewski, Blaskowski scheduled a visit to his ancestral hometown near Konin on 24 August 2026. The nationality switch now awaits formal legal documentation and approval by the President of Poland.

PZLA backing and athletic record

The Polish Athletic Association (PZLA) expressed formal backing for the sprinter's naturalization process. PZLA president Sebastian Chmara confirmed that he spoke with Blaskowski's manager and authorized Maruszewski to establish contact with the athlete. In late May 2026, Blaskowski clocked a personal best of 9.89 seconds in the 100 meters at a meet in Cleveland, alongside a 200-meter personal best of 19.93 seconds. His 100-meter mark surpassed the 9.92 seconds recorded in 2011 by France's Christophe Lemaitre. Both marks sit below Poland's longstanding national records of 10.00 seconds set by Marian Woronin in 1984 and 19.98 seconds set by Marcin Urbaś in 1999.

Speaking after his preliminary races, Blaskowski set clear expectations for his future under the Polish flag.

All I know is that no Polish athlete has broken the 10-second barrier yet. But I will do it in my first start as a Pole.

Competition at the Silesia Memorial

Blaskowski made his first competitive appearance on Polish soil at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Chorzów on 23 August 2026. Running in the second preliminary heat alongside Polish sprinter Dominik Kopeć, Blaskowski exited the starting blocks strongly before finishing fifth in 10.14 seconds. He missed qualification for the final by seven hundredths of a second, as Cameroon's Emmanuel Eseme claimed the final qualifying berth in 10.07 seconds. Despite missing the Chorzów final, Blaskowski finished ahead of European champion Romell Glave, Ackeema Blake, and Trayvon Bromell. His competition schedule continues with a 100-meter race in Szczecin on 26 August 2026.

Training setup and championship targets

Blaskowski trains in the United States under coach Dennis Mitchell within a sprint group that includes Olympic and world medalists Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, and Sha'Carri Richardson. The sprinter framed his switch around competing for podium placements at upcoming continental and global tournaments. Polish athletic officials confirmed their readiness to submit the naturalization petition as soon as documentation of his lineage is complete. Blaskowski identified the 2028 European Athletics Championships in Chorzów and subsequent Olympic Games in the United States as his primary competitive objectives.

Sebastian Chmara confirmed the federation's commitment to the administrative process.

As a sports association, we declare our readiness and full support once the official procedure for granting citizenship to Blaskowski begins.