She Runs participant, “Want to go back to Paris 2024 as an Olympian!”

As a child, Hanna struggled with asthma, so her parents signed her in for swimming classes because they believed sport will strengthen her health.

They were right. Hanna continued with sports, tried athletics and quickly found herself on podiums winning medals,

“Today I am a member of athletics national team and I regularly take part in various international cups. I practice running, race and Nordic walking. ”

Last year she represented Poland in the She Runs Active Girls Lead event. Sightseeing Paris, meeting new friends and listening to the stories of inspirational female athletes were her favourite memories.

“I had a chance to hear amazing women who told us not to give up.”

Her answer on, which of the four sportswomen was her favourite, is: “Paula Radcliffe. It’s simple. She is a runner like me.”

Hanna was also one of the 40 girls who had a chance to participate in the She Runs educational activities – the Design Sprint. Her team designed a project – a basketball competition, which she later implemented in her school.

 “I built friendships with girls from different countries, and now I can confirm that this event changed my life. Thank you ISF.”  

At the time of the event she was attending a boarding school but missed her home and wished to go back and study in her hometown.

“She Runs helped me to become a brave person. I told my parents and moved back to my hometown but I still practise the three sports. And there’s more, I am not afraid to speak English anymore.”

She believes girls should be strong and powerful.

But first, they need to accept themselves, “Our dreams can come true but first we have to believe in ourselves. This is the most important thing. We are unstoppable.”

Her message to the young women across the World would be to never give and stay strong. Hanna’s strengthening herself with a help of sport.

Because of the Covid19 outbreak, she is currently training at home with her mom. Her mood after the workout depends on how challenging the practice was, “But usually, when I finish my workout I feel pure happiness, because I did everything what I love.”

Just like many youngsters, she is motivated by famous idols. She finds the fastest swimmer in the World Michael Phelps and the surfer Bethany Hamilton extremely motivational.

Hanna’s inspired with Bethany’s resilience; “It’s amazing that she competes with other girls on the same level, even though she only has one arm. She’s a perfect example to always believe in yourself.”

She dreams big. After running in Paris in 2019 at the She Runs event, she wants to make a return in 2024;

“My biggest dream is to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in the 20k race walking event.”

In the future, she also wants to develop her leadership skills and organise events like She Runs: “I want to create and organise events for youngsters, especially for girls, and help children who were hurt. And I also want to be a track and field coach, or maybe a flight attendant.”