No matter where they are – in stadiums, on TV or live – the favourite Polish athletes are achieving greatness. Fans admire their dedication to training, their will to fight during tournaments and their strong character. It doesn’t matter if it’s Wimbledon, Champions League or Tour de Ski. While there are currently no Polish players influencing the run line in MLB, there are many displaying the highest level of ability in their respective sports. For those unfamiliar with the world of Polish sporting successes, we’ve compiled a list of athletes that make your heart race. Let’s get this party started!
Agnieszka Radwańska
A Polish tennis player born in 1989 is ranked highest in the WTA rankings. She was born in Krakow. It was in Gronau, Germany, that Agnieszka first encountered the racquet. Twenty WTA tournaments have been won in singles since then and two in doubles. Wimbledon 2005 and the French Open 2006 were her first junior Grand Slam victories. Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro were among the Olympic Games where she represented Poland.
Justyna Kowalczyk
Besides winning four World Cups in cross-country skiing, Kowalczyk won Olympic multi-medals and multi-sport world championships. The TV screens of thousands of TV viewers are constantly filled with her every winter. A three-time World Cup winner, she is one of only two in the history of cross-country skiing. One of only two athletes with four consecutive victories in the prestigious Tour de Ski. She holds the record for having won the most Olympic medals in the history of the Winter Olympics, with five awarded.
Robert Lewandowski
Athletes like this don’t need an introduction to football fans. Known throughout the world as the best Polish footballer, Robert Lewandowski plays for Bayern Munich and is the captain of the Polish national team. His appearances on the Polish national team were also record-breaking, and he was the best Polish shot in history. It took Lewandowski just nine minutes to score five goals during a league match in 2015, the fastest time in which five goals were scored since the leagues were registered. He took fourth place in the Golden Ball voting in 2016 and was named Athlete of the Year. The Guardian also ranks him among the world’s top 5 football players.
Krzysztof Hołowczyc
A number of motoring enthusiasts are familiar with him; having won the Polish Rally Championship three times and the European Rally Championship once, he has achieved great success in the rally world. A three-time Polish Rally winner, he has also competed in the Dakar Rally and the World Championships. Across-country rallies have been part of his activities since 2005. A winner of the FIA International Cup in Cross-Country Bajas in 2008 as well as the FIA World Cup in off-road rallies in 2013, he placed 2nd in the final classification of the 2008 World Cup.
Robert Kubica
Having made his debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2006, Kubica is the first and only Pole to compete in Formula 1. His BMW Sauber career lasted from 2006-2009. He became the first Pole in F1 history to win a race at the Canadian Grand Prix in June 2008. The best result of his career came when he led the general classification for one stage.
Marcin Gortat
As far as basketball is concerned, Gortat has achieved more than anyone else. The Polish basketball player who reached the NBA finals for the first time in history, Gortat was born in Lodz, and his family is filled with athletes. Alicja Gortat is a volleyball professional who played for the Polish national team, and her father is an Olympic medalist Janusz Gortat.
Adam Małysz
It has been a hectic time for ski jumpers over the past few years. Malysz remained popular even after ending his career, during which he won four Olympic medals and four World Championships. In addition to promoting ski jumping in Poland, Malysz attracted thousands of Poles to the stands and demonstrated the value of Polish ski jumpers in the world’s most prestigious competitions.
Kamil Stoch
As the successor to Adam Malysz, Stoch has continued the brilliant career of the former. Among Polish athletes, he has achieved the most success at the Winter Olympics; as an individual, he won three Olympic gold medals and one World Championship in 2013. Among his many accomplishments, he won the World Cup twice, was a medalist at the Ski Flying World Championships, and won two Four Hills championships.
Otylia Jędrzejczak
A Polish swimmer specialising in butterfly and freestyle, she is a two-time Olympic champion, five-time European champion in long swimming pools, three-time world record holder, and three times the best Polish sportsperson, all while being born in 1983. In 2005, she was named the finest swimmer in Europe by “Swimming World” magazine and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2019.
Tomasz Adamek
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the International Boxing Organisation (AIBA) have recognised him as a world champion in Junior Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight, respectively. The World Boxing Council (WBC) has called him a light heavyweight amateur European champ and international champion of Poland. Proud winner of 2nd and 4th place in the 2005/2006 poll for the best Polish sportsman.