Hurdling the Odds: Polish track star travels across globe, overcomes injuries in search of greatness


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Poland sopohmore Ziemowit Dutkiewicz.

Ziemowit Dutkiewicz traveled from Poland to Mount Pleasant in search of adventure and his lifelong dream: Track glory.

His journey to America and multiple injuries have taken “Z,” as his Chippewas teammates call him, on a wildly unpredictable ride.

Earning a spot in this weekend’s Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships, he hopes the latest stop on his voyage will be the top of the podium at the Jack Skoog Track this weekend.

The Chippewas host the MAC Indoor Championships at 10 a.m. Friday and 9:45 a.m. on Saturday.

Dutkiewicz competes in the 400-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles for Central Michigan University. He claimed a season-best second place finish in his premier event last weekend at Grand Valley State University.

But Dutkiewicz’s opportunity this weekend comes following several major injuries and an intense cultural adjustment struggle.

“It was very challenging at the beginning,” Dutkiewicz said “I only knew coach (Willie) Randolph. I had no friends here and it was a completely new place for me. The language barrier was difficult. I could understand people but they couldn’t understand me.”

Training him 

In a tiny Polish town of less than 5,000 people, Dutkiewicz lived with his 12-year-old brother, mother and grandfather. His grandfather served as his first running coach and mentor during his childhood.

Dutkiewicz’s grandfather began teaching him track and field skills when he was in fifth grade. A young Dutkiewicz eventually decided to specialize in the hurdles.

“(Running) was just fun at the beginning,” Dutkiewicz said. “But after a couple of years, we started to get more serious. We wanted to do this for results.”

Competing on a club team at his high school, Dutkiewicz earned the attention of Willie Randolph, former CMU director of track and field.

Randolph tapped into collegiate running’s international circuit to find the man who would soon become one of the Chippewas’ top hurdlers.

Though he had received interest from schools in Atlanta, New York, and Pittsburgh, Dutkiewicz said it was Michigan’s climate and the sense of excitement the state gave him that brought him to Mount Pleasant.

“It was all about adventure,” Dutkiewicz said. “Studying in a different country was challenging. I like to face challenges.”

World Junior Championships

Prior to coming to CMU, Dutkiewicz was no stranger to a high-level running competition.

Dutkiewicz competed in the 2008 Polish National Youth Championships and finished in third place in the 400-meter dash. The next year, he followed that performance up with an eighth-place finish in the 400-meter dash for Team Poland at the 2009 World Youth Championships.

In 2011, Dutkiewicz notched a pair of first-place finishes in the National Junior Championships of Poland, winning the 400-meter hurdles at 52.55 and the 400-meter dash at 48.67.

Dutkiewicz said there is no thrill like representing one’s country in an athletic competition.

“It was the best experience I ever had,” Dutkiewicz said. “When you see people from different countries and compete you know it’s something serious.”

Coming to Mount Pleasant

After coming to America in 2012, Dutkiewicz eventually made friends while training with CMU’s 400-meter group.

High jumper Matt Mueller and Dutkiewicz spent hours each week playing video games and getting to know each other.

“The kids here are great,” Dutkiewicz said. “We always have fun in practice and meets.”

Dutkiewicz said he gained “a ton” of weight enjoying the luxuries of American fast food.

Even his favorite Mount Pleasant restaurant, Buffalo Wild Wings, does not tempt Dutkiewicz to deviate from the strict physical and intellectual regiment that landed him in America.

“I don’t have too much time to go out,” he said. “I start my day really early with class and the training room. I go from practice to study halls. During the weekend I might go to the SAC to the pool or sauna just to recover.”

Battling through a changing program, major injury

After the firing of Randolph in 2013, Dutkiewicz had to deal with the replacement of the man who brought him to America.

Randolph’s predecessor, Mark Guthrie, is someone Dutkiewicz said he has learned to admire.

“He changed the program a lot,” Dutkiewicz said. “I like the way he (runs) workouts.”

Guthrie said CMU’s polish hurdler was one of the high points to the roster he inherited.

“I don’t know how (CMU) found him,” Guthrie said. “He’s a good person, works hard, and has a passion for the sport. He showed great improvement from his first year to his second.”

Dutkiewicz took first place in the 600-meter event during the 2014 Jack Skoog Open with a time of 1:22.23. He also set personal records that afternoon with a time of 47.83 in the 400-meter dash and 52.21 in the 400-meter hurdles.

Later that season, Dutkiewicz’s running career at CMU suffered a setback.

During CMU’s meet at Akron University in February, Dutkiewicz dove for the finish line, achieving a second-place finish, setting a personal record and breaking his collarbone in the process.

He missed the rest of that season.

“After I broke my personal record, I knew I was on the right track,” Dutkiewicz said. “I was improving after each race. I knew I would have to take care of my body, rest, and be ready for the next year.”

After an inflamed Achilles tendon and back problems nagged Dutkiewicz to start this season, he posted his best performance of the season last week in Allendale.

A hopeful future

Officially a sophomore, Dutkiewicz has two more seasons to accomplish as much as his can while wearing a maroon and gold uniform.

“I want to go to nationals every year and break school records,” Dutkiewicz said. “When I leave Central, I want my name to be in the record board. I think that’ll be pretty cool.”

Eventually, Dutkiewicz said he wants to return to his homeland to compete nationally. In the meantime, he said professional athletes and the coaches that helped shape his athletic ability and mental toughness will remain at the forefront of his mind.

“It motivates me to not quit,” he said. “And just keep running.”

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About Evan Sasiela

Evan Sasiela is the University Editor at Central Michigan Life and a senior at Central Michigan ...

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