Bronisław Malinowski (runner)

Bronisław Malinowski (Polish pronunciation: [brɔˈɲiswaf maliˈnɔfskʲi]; 4 June 1951 – 27 September 1981) was a Polish track and field athlete, who is best known for winning a gold medal in the 3000 m steeplechase race during the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow, Soviet Union and the silver four years earlier in Montreal. One year after his last Olympic appearance, Malinowski was killed in a car accident in Grudziądz, at the age of 30.[2]

Bronisław Malinowski
Bronisław Malinowski during competitions in Fürth in preparations for the 1976 Olympic Summer Games
Personal information
Born(1951-06-04)4 June 1951
Nowe, Polish People's Republic
Died27 September 1981(1981-09-27) (aged 30)
Grudziądz, Polish People's Republic
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Sport
SportRunning
Event(s)3000 metres steeplechase
ClubOlimpia Grudziądz
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Poland
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1980 Moscow3000 m s'chase
Silver medal – second place1976 Montreal3000 m s'chase
World Cross-Country Championships
Silver medal – second place1979 LimerickLong Race
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1974 Rome3000 m s'chase
Gold medal – first place1978 Prague3000 m s'chase
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place1975 Rome3000 m s'chase
European Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place1970 Paris2000 m s'chase

Life and career

Malinowski was born in Nowe to a Polish father Anastazy Malinowski, and a Scottish mother, Irene Malinowska (née Dowell). He was named after the famous anthropologist. Throughout most of his career he competed for Olimpia Grudziądz. His first international medal was the 2000 metres steeplechase gold at the 1970 European Junior Championships. In his first major senior competition, the 1971 European Championships, he broke the national 5000 metres record which was enough for the eighth place.

He finished fourth at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, but came back to win gold at the 1974 European Championships. The period between the European Championships and the 1976 Summer Olympics, saw a rivalry emerge between Malinowski and Swedish athlete Anders Gärderud. It ended with Malinowski taking silver behind the first-place Gärderud who won in a world-record time.

Memorial to Malinowski in front of the Grudziądz stadium.

Although Gärderud retired from the sport in 1976, Malinowski faced a new contender, Henry Rono of Kenya, who set the new world record in 1978. Still, Malinowski beat Rono in a head-to-head race that same season. In the autumn of 1978, he successfully defended his European Championship in the 3000 metres steeplechase in Prague.[3] The pinnacle of Malinowski's career came during the 1980 Summer Olympics when he took gold in the 3000 m steeplechase race by steadying himself against front-runner Filbert Bayi.

Shortly before his death, Malinowski was considering moving to Scotland, the native country of his mother, because Poland was then politically restless.[4] He died in a car crash on 27 September 1981 on a bridge in Grudziądz, which was later named after him. There is also an annual running competition held in his honour in that city, the International Bronisław Malinowski Run.[5]

Competition record
Representing  Poland
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
1970 European Junior Championships Paris, France 1st 2000 m s'chase 5:44.00
1971 European Championships Helsinki, Finland 8th 5000 m 13:39.4 (NR)
1972 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany 26th (h) 5000 m 13:48.2
4th 3000 m s'chase 8:27.92
1973 European Indoor Championships Rotterdam, Netherlands 8th 3000 m 8:07.08
1974 European Championships Rome, Italy 1st 3000 m s'chase 8:15.04
1975 Universiade Rome, Italy 1st 3000 m s'chase 8:22.32
1976 Olympic Games Montreal, Canada 20th (h) 1500 m 3:41.67
2nd 3000 m s'chase 8:09.11 (NR)
1977 Universiade Sofia, Bulgaria 4th 3000 m s'chase 8:30.8
1978 European Championships Prague, Czechoslovakia 1st 3000 m s'chase 8:15.08
1979 World Cross Country Championships Limerick, Ireland 2nd Senior race
1980 Olympic Games Moscow, Soviet Union 1st 3000 m s'chase 8:09.70
1981 Pacific Conference Games Christchurch, New Zealand 1st 3000 m s'chase 8:24.02

Personal bests

References
  1. Sports-Reference profile
  2. "Bronislaw MALINOWSKI - Poland - Olympic Steeplechase champion in Moscow". sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved 2013-05-26.
  3. see, for example, Tapio Pekola et al., eds., "European Championships Prague" / EM-Praha, Kaarina, Finland: "Runner" / Juoksija magazine, 1978
  4. see, for example, "The Events of Top Sports Until 1982" / Huippu-urheilun tapahtumat vuoteen 1982, published in Finland in 1982
  5. Official site of International Bronisław Malinowski Run
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