Władysław Kozakiewicz
Kozakiewicz in 2016 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
Nickname | Wolly |
| Nationality | Polish/German |
| Born | 8 December 1953 |
| Education | Poznań University of Physical Education |
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 82 kg (181 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Poland |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Pole vault |
| Club | KS Bałtyk Gdynia (1966–1985) Turn-Klub zu Hannover (1985–1989) |
| Coached by | Walenty Wejman (1966–1974) Ryszard Tomaszewski (1974–1981, 1983–1985) Edward Kozakiewicz (1981–1983) |
| Retired | 1989 |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best | Pole vault: 5.78 m (1980) |
Medal record | |
Władysław Kozakiewicz (Polish pronunciation: [vwaˈdɨswaf kɔzaˈkʲɛvit͡ʂ]; born 8 December 1953) is a Lithuanian-born retired Polish athlete who specialised in the pole vault. He is best known for winning the gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow and the bras d'honneur gesture which he showed to the hostile Soviet crowd. In Poland, where the gesture was viewed as a symbol of resistance against Soviet dominance, it became known as "Kozakiewicz's gesture" (gest Kozakiewicza). In addition, he won several medals at continental level, won two Summer Universiades and broke the pole vault world record three times, twice outdoors and once indoors. He is also a ten-time Polish champion.