Zdzisław Ludwik Krzyszkowiak (born August 3, 1929 – March 23, 2003) was a Polish

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

 athlete, winner of 3000 metre steeplechase at the 1960 Summer Olympics

1960 Summer Olympics

The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...

.

Born in Wielichowo

Wielichowo

Wielichowo is a town in Grodzisk Wielkopolski County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,830 inhabitants ....

, Greater Poland Voivodeship

Greater Poland Voivodeship

Wielkopolska Voivodeship , or Greater Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, or province, in west-central Poland. It was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznań, Kalisz, Konin, Piła and Leszno Voivodeships, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998...

, Krzyszkowiak won 13 Polish National Championships titles in long distance and cross country events.

Krzyszkowiak rose into the international athletics scene at the 1956 Summer Olympics

1956 Summer Olympics

The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...

, where he missed the bronze medal by 7.4 seconds, finishing fourth. At the 1958 European Championships in Athletics

1958 European Championships in Athletics

The 6th European Athletics Championships were held from 19 August to 24 August 1958 in the Olympic Stadium of Stockholm, Sweden.-Men's results:-Women's results:-Medal table:-References:*...

, Krzyszkowiak established himself as one the best European long distance runners, winning both 5000 m and 10 000 m.

Just two months before the Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

 Olympics, Krzyszkowiak ran his first world record

World record

A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...

, clocking 8:31.4 in 3000 m steeplechase. At the Olympics itself, Krzyszkowiak finished seventh in 10 000 m, but won, as a main favourite, the 3000 m steeplechase.

After the Olympics, Krzyszkowiak decided to concentrate only to 3000 m steeplechase event, running his second world record in 1961, but was forced to retire from sports prematurely in 1963 due to his injuries. After his running career, Krzyszkowiak worked as a coach. Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak died in Warsaw

Warsaw

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

, aged 73.

See also

• Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium in Bydgoszcz