Klaudia Kazimierska wins London Athlos mile in 4:19.43 to seal 275,000 USD late-season streak

Final-lap surge at StoneX Stadium

Klaudia Kazimierska won the women's mile at the Athlos invitational in London on Friday evening, completing the distance in 4:19.43. The 25-year-old Polish runner defeated a six-athlete field on the track at StoneX Stadium, passing Britain's Georgia Hunter Bell in the closing strides. Hunter Bell finished second in 4:19.54, eleven hundredths of a second behind Kazimierska, while Kenya's Dorcus Ewoi took third place with a time of 4:19.84. The race ran without a designated pacemaker after Ethiopia's Birke Haylom withdrew and was replaced by British runner Kate Axford. Kazimierska completed the final lap in 59.64 seconds to secure the victory.

Race tactics and closing kick

The contest began at a fast pace set by Australia's Jessica Hull, with American runner Nikki Hiltz following close behind. Kazimierska held third position during the opening lap before dropping back to fifth place after approximately one minute and 45 seconds. She remained fifth as the final lap began, trailing the leading group before launching an attack along the inside lane.

Kazimierska explained her tactical approach to the final 200 meters after the race.

I think patience was key. For the last 200 meters, I stayed by the curb. I wanted to attack, but I waited for the right moment. I was patient until the last 100 meters, and then I just tried to finish as hard as possible.

Three-week late-season winning streak

The victory in London concluded a sequence of three consecutive international wins for Kazimierska within a span of two weeks. On 5 September 2026, she won the 1500-meter race at the Diamond League Final in Brussels, setting a Polish national record of 3:54.05. One week later, she took first place in the 1500 meters at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest with a time of 3:57.55. Across the three competitions, Kazimierska earned 275,000 USD in prize money, consisting of 60,000 USD in Brussels, 150,000 USD in Budapest, and 65,000 USD in London.

Athlos prize purse and season conclusion

For her victory in the mile, Kazimierska received a 65,000 USD winner's check alongside a crown designed by Tiffany & Co. Athlos allocated 35,000 USD to second-place finisher Hunter Bell and 20,000 USD to third-place finisher Ewoi, with remaining payouts scaling down to 6,500 USD for sixth place. In the 400-meter event at the same meeting, Poland's Natalia Bukowiecka finished sixth with a time of 50.55 seconds in a race won by Marileidy Paulino in 48.73 seconds. Kazimierska confirmed that the London race was her last competition of 2026 before her scheduled return to Eugene on Sunday.

I am incredibly happy with this season and very glad that I can finish it here with a win. During the race, I kept telling myself to run as if it were the last start, because it really was my final appearance this season. It is wonderful to finish it with a victory.