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Iga Kopiec has a severe case of wanderlust.The John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School junior moved to South Philadelphia from Krakow, Poland last August, adding the United States to her impressive travel itinerary, which includes stops in Austria, Germany, France, Slovakia and Switzerland. She owes her next trip to her legs, as she will run in Saturday’s PIAA AAA Girls’ Cross-Country Championships in Hershey.
At her parents’ urging, Kopiec left Poland to become ever more worldly.
“They thought living here would be a nice experience and a great opportunity to learn the language better,” the 17-year-old, who began speaking English at 6, said.
She settled with an aunt and an uncle on the 1900 block of Bainbridge Street, joining the student body of the Logan Square-based school courtesy of the latter’s research.
At 4,384 miles apart, her native land and her new home have forged her love of running and antiquity.
“My mother is into sports, so we would run together on weekends. In Poland, I ran for myself, so this is my first year of competitive running,” Kopiec, who also enjoys skiing, noted.
She will cap her successful plunge with Saturday’s endeavor. Last month she earned a ninth-place showing at the Philadelphia Catholic League Championships in Fairmount Park, running a personal best of 21:05. Last week, she qualified for Saturday’s contest with a 15th-place finish at the District XII championships, also in Fairmount Park, with a time of 21:15. That result will enable her to compete with runners from more accomplished programs.
“Iga is a great runner. I’m proud that she will give Hallahan a chance to sneak in among the big schools like (Archbishop) Wood and (Cardinal) O’Hara,” coach Steve Smith said.
Kopiec practices every school day for her 5,000-meter adventures, excursions equivalent to almost 3.1 miles. Indoor track might occupy her this winter, but not before she enjoys a restful conclusion to the year.
“I plan to go to Canada after Christmas,” she said, a trek that would cross off America’s neighbor from her travel list. “I also really want to go to Spain.”
South Philadelphia and the city at large remind her of Poland’s second largest city, whose population of 750,000 is slightly less than half of her new home’s.
“Life here is more convenient than in Poland, but in Polish cities and this one, I like the old areas,” she revealed.
Schooling breeds more convenience for the fan of interior design.
“In America, I have fewer subjects, so I feel I can learn more,” she said, disclosing that her Polish education had her handling 13 subjects a year, six more than her Hallahan haul.
Though two years away from postsecondary studies, Kopiec has pondered university life with as much vigor as she considers a run through the woods.
“I like to discover new things. For university, I am undecided over where I might go. I could possibly begin in Poland then go somewhere else,” she said.
No matter where she matriculates or lives, she will remain grateful for those closest to her and proud of her heritage.
“I miss my friends and my parents,” she said when mentioning she celebrated her birthday last week, “but I am enjoying my time here.”
Trips to Port Richmond keep her close to Polish food. Though Americanized, she still prefers her native cuisine to American grub.
“I do not like fast food,” she said.
She does like having fast feet, however. Kopiec will leave for Hershey Friday to know what to expect from the course, which she will tackle the next day at 10 a.m.
“I find it surprising to be in the championships. I consider myself not really a competitive person. I just like the feeling I have after a run,” Kopiec said.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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