Same cash bonus for all seven Polish mixed relay gold winners

Both in the semifinal and the final, the Polish team displayed an absolutely stunning form, winning the best time and breaking the European record. Dariusz Kowaluk, Iga Baumgart-Witan, Małogorzata Hołub-Kowalik and Kajetan Duszyński won the first race. In the final race, Duszyński, who was again picked for the final leg, was joined by three other runners: Karol Zalewski, Natalia Kaczmarek i Justyna Święty-Ersetic.

Each one will receive the same share, regardless who started in the final race.

All seven runners can be sure to secure the same bonus of 90,000 zlotys.

As to the coaches, the situation looks a bit different. Two trainers were responsible for preparations, Aleksander Matusiński and Marek Rożej, and therefore the usual 60,000 zlotys earmarked for one coach will have be split. The Polish Athletic Association will decide how to split the cash between the two. "The association will decide whether one of the coaches had bigger impact on the success," Polish Olympic Committee Secretary General Adam Krzesiński told eurosport.pl.

Poland scored an upset win in the inaugural Olympic 4x400 metres mixed relay on Saturday, with Dominican Republic picking up silver and the United States taking bronze. The Polish team, comprised of Karol Zalewski, Natalia Kaczmarek, Justyna Święty-Ersetic and Kajetan Duszyński, put on a gutsy performance inside the fan-free Olympic Stadium after posting the fastest time in Friday's heats. It was the first Olympic medal for all four team mates, who cheered and embraced as anchor leg runner Duszyński crossed the finish line. "I can't believe it. It is a dream since childhood. It has come true," Duszyński, 26, said after picking up Poland's first gold medal of the Tokyo Games.

Apart from winning the final race in a time of three minutes and 9.87 seconds, the Polish team also established new European and Olympic records.

The U.S. were the favourites after winning the event at the 2019 World Championships. But they almost did not make the final after they were disqualified for exchanging the baton outside the changeover zone in Friday's first round. Organisers later reinstated them, citing an official's error. Notably absent from the U.S. relay roster was six-time Olympic gold medallist Allyson Felix, who was a part of the Americans' winning relay team in 2019 and is set to compete in the women's individual 400 metres on Tuesday in her fifth and final Games. The event, which features two men and two women per team and made its World Championships debut in 2019, contains a certain level of unpredictability as there are no gender rules governing the order in which athletes choose to race. Poland had experimented with its lineup in the Doha title race, placing men in the first two legs, but they finished fifth. The team opted to place its two women competitors in the middle legs of Saturday's race, as did the other eight teams.