Elzbieta Glinka took the biggest victory of her late-blooming career at the European 10,000m Cup in La Spezia, Italy on Saturday (23) evening, winning individual gold in 31:45.37.
And the 32-year-old made history by becoming the first ever Polish winner - male or female - in the 29 editions of the European 10,000m Cup.
In fact, Poland had never even won a medal of any colour at the European 10,000m Cup before Glinka became the unlikely history-maker this evening. As recently as 2022, the Pole was a recreational runner with a modest half marathon lifetime best of 93:51.
But fast forward to 2026, Glinka came away with an individual gold medal in La Spezia, closing with a last kilometre of 3:05.14 to take the victory in a lifetime best of 31:45.37, comfortably inside the qualifying standard of 32:00 for the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham from 10-16 August.
In warm and humid conditions, Glinka ran a patient and well-measured race to reel in France's Alessia Zarbo who tracked the pacemaker Francine Niyomukunzi through the 5000m in 15:46.30. At this point, Glinka was almost 100 metres behind the Frenchwoman, passing through halfway in ninth-place in 16:03.11.
But the Pole, who has a Master's degree in civil engineering, made excellent progress over the second half, moving through a pack of accomplished internationals before setting her sights on Zarbo who slowed markedly after the pacemaker dropped out with 10 laps to go.
Glinka passed the tiring Zarbo with five laps to go and the Pole forged on for a triumphant and history-making victory in 31:45.37 ahead of the Frenchwoman who faded to second in 31:56.18, her second successive individual silver medal after finishing second behind Belgium's Jana Van Lent in kinder distance running conditions in Pacé in northwest France last May.
No Battocletti, no problem for the hosts
And despite the late absence of multiple European champion Nadia Battocletti who had not fully recovered from a bout of flu, hosts Italy still won the women's team title for the first time in European 10,000m Cup history ahead of Ireland and Spain with a cumulative time of 1:37:24.57 from their three scorers.
Italy’s team effort was headed by Elisa Palmero who finished third individually in 31:59.49, just 0.51 inside the qualifying for the 2026 European Athletics Championships. She was backed up by Federica Del Buono (32:27.95) and Elvanie Nimbona (32:57.13) who finished seventh and 13th respectively.
There was a first ever Austrian win at the European 10,000m Cup with Cordula Lassacher taking the plaudits in the ‘B’ race.
Despite having to cope with the hottest conditions of the evening in the first race of the programme, Lassacher sliced more than half-a-minute off her lifetime best with a 33:22.44 clocking.
Lassacher broke away in the last four laps from long-time leader Greta Settino who was also rewarded with a lifetime best of 33:31.10.
Top-10 finishers
1. Elzbieta Glinka (POL) - 31:45.36
2. Alessia Zarbo (FRA) - 31:56.18
3. Elisa Palmero (ITA) - 31:59.49
4. Jennifer Gulikers (NED) - 32:01.57
5. Mariana Machado (POR) - 32:11.96
6. Niamh Allen (IRL) - 32:15.79
7. Federica Del Buono (ITA) - 32:27.95
8. Alicia Berzosa (ESP) - 32:32.48
9. Derya Kunur (TUR) - 32:40.60
10. Fiona Everard (IRL) - 32:41.28
Photos courtesy of Sergio Mateo