Ahead of the Game: Record-Breakers of Polish Sport
In honour of the start of the European Championships this summer, here’s a look back at some Polish athletes who not only achieved great success, but broke records in their sports. From skiing in the Olympics to playing American football, these Poles have made their mark in the world of sports.
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Justyna Kowalczyk, Norwegia Oslo Holmenkollen FIS Cross Country World Cup 2017 , photo: East News
First up is Polish cross-country skier Justyna Kowalczyk, who has been competing since 2000.
Kowalczyk was born in Limanowa in Southern Poland and started skiing at the young age of 10. Now 38 years old, Kowalczyk is a double Olympic Champion and a double World Champion, but the accolades don’t end there. She is the only skier to win the Tour de Ski four times in a row, and one of only two women skiers to win the FIS Cross-Country World Cup three times in a row.
At the Tour de Ski, Kowalczyk holds the all-time record for wins in the 14, and had 29 podiums in total. Kowalczyk also holds a record as the most outstanding Polish athlete in the history of the Winter Olympics, with a total of five medals.
Robert Lewandowski
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Bayern Munich's Polish forward Robert Lewandowski shoots during the German first division Bundesliga football match FC Bayern Munich v Borussia Moenchengladbach in Munich, 2021, photo: Christof STACHE / AFP / POOL / East News
Many Poles are familiar with this next name – Robert Lewandowski. He is not only one of the most famous footballers in the world, but also a Polish record holder.
Lewandowski currently plays for Bayern Munich in Germany and is the captain of the Polish national team. Currently he is considered to be one of the best Polish players in history, as he’s racked up multiple records thus far in his career.
Lewandowski has the most recorded appearances for the Polish national team and is the best Polish striker in history. He also holds the record for scoring five goals in nine minutes, which is still the quickest time in the entire history of the top four football leagues in Europe. Thanks to all of this, Lewandowski is not only on the top list of Polish sportsmen and women, but he should also be considered in any international list.
Robert Kubica
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Washington Wizards' center Marcin Gortat (C) of Poland shoots during the second half of the NBA basketball game between the Washington Wizards and the Atlanta Hawks at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 27th October 2016, photo: ERIK S. LESSER / EPA / PAP
Robert Kubica is the first and only Pole in history to compete in Formula One, the highest class of international auto racing for single-seater formula racing cars.
His debut was in 2006 at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He competed more until 2008, when he finally achieved his first victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, becoming the first Pole to attain an F1 victory. He was the driver of the BMW Sauber team. At the end of that season, Kubica eventually finished fourth, which is still his best result.
By the end of 2008, he was named the Best Polish Sportsman of that year. After an eight-year break due to a serious crash, Kubica finally returned in the 2019 season.
Marcin Gortat
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Washington Wizards' center Marcin Gortat (C) of Poland shoots during the second half of the NBA basketball game between the Washington Wizards and the Atlanta Hawks at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 27th October 2016, photo: ERIK S. LESSER / EPA / PAP
Marcin Gortat is notable for being the only Polish player in history to advance to the National Basketball Association (NBA) finals in the United States.
Gortat was born in Łódź to a family of athletes: his father Janusz was an Olympic medallist in boxing, and his mother Alicja played volleyball for the Polish national team. Gortat started playing basketball in high school, and six months later was given a spot on the national team.
After playing in the German Bundesliga, he was selected by the American team Orlando Magic in 2005. With the Orlando Magic, Gortat became the first Pole to play in the playoffs as well as the finals. In 2011, Gortat joined the Phoenix Suns, then moved onto the Washington Wizards from 2013 to 2018. The 2018-2019 season was Marcin Gortat’s last, as he retired after one season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kamil Stoch
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Kamil Stoch of Poland in action at the men's ski jumping FIS World Cup at the Titlisschanze in Engelberg, Switzerland, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, photo: Gian Ehrenzeller / Keystone via AP / East News
Kamil Stoch is one of the most successful ski jumpers not only just from Poland, but in the whole history of the sport.
Stoch is a two-time World Cup winner, a medallist in the Ski Flying World Championships and a two-time winner of the Four Hills tournaments. He currently holds the record for ski jumping in Poland, with 251.5 meters. He is now the most successful Polish athlete in the winter Olympic championships.
Not only is Kamil Stoch a great athlete, but he is also very popular. In 2018, Stoch won second place in the poll for the best athlete of Poland, first in a survey of the same questions, and fourth in the Forbes list of the most influential people of Polish sports.
Tomasz Adamek
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Tomasz Adamek & Fred Kassi, Czestochowa Gala Bokserska, Noc Wojowników, 2017, photo: Andrzej Iwanczuk / Reporter / East News
Tomasz Adamek comes up next on this list for his many successes in the world of professional boxing. Adamek is a world champion of the International Boxing Federation in the junior heavyweight division and of the World Boxing Council in the light heavyweight division. Furthermore, Adamek is an amateur European Champion medallist and the international champion of Poland.
In terms of records, Adamek was the first Pole to win the Muhammad Ali Giant Athlete Award. This award was created by Muhammad Ali for outstanding sporting achievements and attitude outside of the boxing ring. He was also the first Pole to receive The Ring magazine’s championship belt. Adamek’s popularity peaked in 2005 and 2006, when he was elected second and fourth place, respectively in the poll for the best Polish sportsman.
Irena Szewińska
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Irena Szewińska, 1976, Montreal Summer Olympic Games Summer Games Vdia xub yoh horizontal Vsw Athletics Action shot women 400m Final, photo: Ferdi Hartung / East News
Dubbed ‘The First Lady of Polish Sport’ by President Duda, track star Irena Szewińska is one Polish athlete who deserves a spot on any list of amazing athletes.
Szewińska has a trophy case full of seven Olympic medals from five different Olympic games, including three gold, two silver and two bronze medals. She made her debut at 18 years old at the 1964 Tokyo Games, where she medalled in the long jump, the 200m and the 4x100m. By 1974, after switching to the longer 400m race, Szewińska became the first woman to break 50 seconds, finishing in 49.9 seconds in Warsaw. Two years later, she lowered the record again in 49.75 seconds.
However, it was her performance at the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976 that remains the Polish record today. She finished with a time of 49.29 seconds, the new world record at the time. Also in that year, Szewińska tied the record for most Olympic medals won by a woman. In 2012, she was inducted into the IAAF Hall of Fame, and four years later, she received the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest award.
Faustyna Kotłowska
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Poland's Faustyna Kotłowska in the discus-throw competition (Class F64) during the World Para Athletics European, photo: Bartłomiej Zborowski / PAP
At only 19 years old, Faustyna Kotłowska is no newcomer to breaking records. She broke three world records at the 48th Polish Para Athletics Championships at the AWK Krakow Stadium – one record for each day of competition.
Her first record was in the women’s shot put F64 in which she threw for 10.35m. The second record was in the discus throw F64, with a score of 36.53m. Finally, Kotlowska broke the record in the javelin F64 with a score of 26.61m. This competition involved over 250 athletes with representatives from Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Malta, and Portugal. It was also the first classification opportunity in Para athletics since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Agnieszka Radwańska
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Agnieszka Radwańska, of Poland makes a return against Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, during a women's third-round match at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Toronto, Thursday, 10th August 2017, photo: Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press via AP / East News
Agnieszka Radwańska, former professional tennis player, has a long list of ‘firsts’ under her name. She was the first Polish player in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam singles final, which was the 2012 Wimbledon Championships. She was also the first Pole to win the WTA finals, the first Pole to claim a WTA singles final, and was one half of the first Polish team to win the Hopman Cup tournament.
From 2011 to 2016, Radwańska finished in the top 10 year-end rankings eight times and is now considered one of the best tennis players to have never won a grand slam. Even so, Radwanska is admired and cherished in Poland – she was even awarded the Gold Cross of Merit in 2013 by Polish President Bronisław Komorowski.
Sebastian Janikowski
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Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski (11) during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Friday, 12th August 2016, in Glendale, Ariz, photo: Rick Scuteri / AP / East News
Last is Sebastian Janikowski, who made history in another kind of football, the American version.
Janikowski played American football in the National Football League for 19 seasons, primarily for the Oakland Raiders in California. He was drafted 17th overall by the Raiders in 2000, after playing football for Florida State University. As a placekicker, Janikowski is the Raiders all-time leading scorer at 1,799 points. Further, he has appeared in more games with the team than any other player at 268 games.
When he retired in 2018, Janikowski had also tied the then-NFL record for the longest successful field goal at 63 yards. Today, that is the second longest in the league’s history.
Written by Claire Brady, Jun 2021
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