Following the signing of top German sprinters Rebekka Haase, Sina Mayer, and Sophia Junk, the first international starters for the women's 60 meters at the Sparkassen Indoor Meeting Dortmund have now been confirmed: With Poland's Ewa Swoboda, the US's Chante Clinkscale, Britain's Mabel Akande, Norway's Helene Rønningen, and Denmark's Ida Karstoft, the organizers are presenting a top-class field.
On Sunday, February 8, 2026, most of Europe's top sprinters – joined by up-and-coming talents from the USA and Great Britain – will meet at the Helmut-Körnig-Halle for a showdown over the shortest stadium distance. The meeting is once again part of the World Athletics Indoor Tour with bronze status.
Ewa Swoboda leads the field. The 28-year-old Polish athlete has been one of the world's best short sprinters for years and is the dominant European athlete over 60 meters. Her personal best over the indoor distance is an outstanding 6.98 seconds – a Polish record, set at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, where she won the silver medal over 60 meters. Swoboda is also among the absolute best over 100 meters, with a personal best of 10.94 seconds. Her impressive medal collection also includes the title of European indoor champion over 60 meters (2019) and several other European Championship medals.
Ida Karstoft is another world-class sprinter in the starting line-up in Dortmund. The 29-year-old Dane won bronze in the 200 meters at the 2022 European Championships in Munich and has since established herself as a fixture on the international stage. Karstoft holds several Danish records: 22.60 seconds in the 200 meters, 11.32 seconds in the 100 meters, and 7.24 seconds in the 60 meters indoors are national bests, as is her 23.22 seconds in the 200 meters on the indoor track.
With Mabel Akande, the meeting presents one of Europe's most exciting sprint talents. The 19-year-old Briton is the reigning European U20 vice-champion in the 100 meters and won silver in both the individual distance and the 4x100-meter relay at the 2025 championships in Tampere. Akande's personal bests are 7.26 seconds in the 60 meters and 11.27 seconds in the 100 meters. The young Briton is considered one of the most promising athletes in European sprinting and could cause a surprise in Dortmund.
Also competing is Norway's Helene Rønningen. The 27-year-old has already won 16 national titles in the 60m, 100m, and 200m during her career. Her 60-meter best time is a fast 7.26 seconds, set at last year's World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. The international quintet is completed by Chante Clinkscale from the USA. The 22-year-old has made a name for herself in the high-class American college scene. Her 60-meter time is 7.23 seconds.
This means that the Sparkassen Indoor Meeting will feature an extremely attractive field of 60-meter runners: Ewa Swoboda and Ida Karstoft, athletes with European and World Championship experience, will be at the starting line, along with two highly talented young sprinters, Mabel Akande and Chante Clinkscale, and the fast Norwegian sprinter Helene Rønningen. This international line-up will be complemented by the previously announced top German sprinters Rebekka Haase, Sina Mayer, and Sophia Junk, as the meeting organizers recently announced.
"Our aim is to present a strong field of sprinters in Dortmund, where top German sprinters will compete against high-class international rivals. And with the participants already confirmed, we have achieved exactly that mix," says head organizer Yoshi Müller.
Tickets are already on sale at www.reservix.de and at all advance sales outlets connected to the Reservix system. Standing room tickets cost €10, while seats are available in two categories for €20 and €30.
Ewa Swoboda leads international field in Dortmund
