Władysław Kozakiewicz

Władysław Kozakiewicz (* 8. December 1953 in a village in close proximity to Wilna) is a former Polish athlete.

beginning of career

of the Stabhochspringer Kozakiewicz originates from a Polish family in Lithuania, which came only to the time of the Stalinismus to Poland. 1973 it jumped for the first time Polish national record with 5,32 M. Its first international competition it locked in Rome with 5,35 m and won with this athlete IC European championship 1974 the silver medal. With its achievements it went constantly uphill. 1975 succeeded to it a European record with 5,60 and applied in such a way it with the olympic plays 1976 in Montréal at the Mitfavoriten. It flew however already hurt to Canada and became only Elfter. Its compatriot Tadeusz Ślusarski became in this competition however olympia winner and went out in such a way Poland not empty. With the athlete IC European championship 1978 in Prague it became fourth. In addition it won 1977 and 1979 the resounding European championships. Its most important match should follow however with the olympic plays 1980 in Moscow, which made it world-famous.

1980 in Moscow Kozakiewicz after

1980 Kozakiewicz with 5,72 set up olympic summer games a new world record, which was improved only little later in the same month by Thierry Vigneron from France on 5,75 m. Its strongest opponent in the match of Moscow was however its compatriot Ślusarski as title defenders and the Russian Konstantin Wolkow.

To 30. July 1980 came it then to one of the most fascinating matches in the history of the Stabhochsprungs. During the entire match, which took more than four hours, the Russian public tried both Poland with unfair Skandierungen to bring whistles and Buh calls with each jump from the peace in order to make their compatriot possible the olympia victory. In the end all three 5.65 m had jumped over and Kozakiewicz jumped over as only also the 5,70. Kozakiewicz proved however to far its nerve strength and let as last match participants new world record height of 5,78 m present and took themselves revenge after its successful second attempt at the public with until today in Poland admitted Kozakiewicz gesture. It arranged its right fist toward public and struck themselves with the left hand on the upper arm. The picture of Kozakiewicz went to it around the world. Only the Soviet and Polish press did not show this. The Soviet Ambassador in Warsaw (Boris Aristow) demanded even that Kozakiewicz the gold medal was to be denied, due to the offense opposite the Soviet Union. The affair around Kozakiewicz stands closely in connection with the liberty movement in Poland of the summer 1980, with which in Danzig the free trade union Solidarność was created. In Poland he also 1980 was then selected to the sportsman of the yearly. A further indication of the won liberty.

the time after 1980

in the Polish Leichtathletikverband had Kozakiewicz thereafter however only problems. To its output of 5,78 m it approached never again. Before the olympic plays 1984 in Los Angeles it was in excellent form and the olympia boycott of Poland would not have been, it further olympic medal would probably not have won. Instead of traveling to the USA as one of the most popular sportsmen of the Eastern Bloc, which would have excited some surely at attention, it had to travel with the Polish crew again to matches to the USSR. After the olympic plays the socialist sportsmen Meetings in Western Europe began, but Kozakiewicz was home beordert after only two matches, which finally was decisive for the resolution its country to leave.

emigration

1985 betrayed Kozakiewicz according to opinion of the Polish population its ideals. Their liberty hero of 1980 emigrierte to West Germany, which one takes him in Poland until today badly. It accepted the German nationality and started with some matches for the German Leichtathletiknationalmannschaft; however without larger international successes, since its career zuneigte itself the end. It regarded however as some time the record German with 5,70 and was 1986 like 1987 German master. After completion of its active career he works as a staff high jump coach. He was also political after the turn into the 1990er years continued to live actively, he in Germany, however an office for town councillor in Gdynia assumed, where it worries about the sport interests of the city.

Olympia winner in the Stabhochsprung

1896: William Welles Hoyt | 1900: Irving Baxter | 1904: Charles Dvorak | 1908: Edward Cooke and Alfred Gilbert | 1912: Harry Babcock | 1920: Franc Foss | 1924: Lee Barnes | 1928: Sabin Carr | 1932: William Miller | 1936: Earle Meadows | 1948: Guinn Smith | 1952: Robert Richards | 1956: Robert Richards | 1960: Donald Bragg | 1964: Fred Hansen | 1968: Bob Seagren | 1972: Wolfgang north TIG | 1976: Tadeusz Ślusarski | 1980: Władysław Kozakiewicz | 1984: Pierre Quinon | 1988: Serhij Bubka | 1992: Maxim Tarassow | 1996: Jean Galfione | 2000: Nod Hysong | 2004: Timothy Mack