Stanisław Kowalski

Stanislaw Kowalski
Personal information
Nationality Polish
Born (1910-04-14) April 14, 1910
Rogówek, Poland
Residence Świdnica, Poland

Stanisław Kowalski (born April 14, 1910) is a Polish centenarian Masters athlete, competing in sprinting, shot put and discus.

Early life

Kowalski was born on April 14, 1910 in the village of Rogówek where he lived until the end of the 1930s. After his marriage, he moved to Brzeźnica. In 1952, due to the broadening of the boundaries of the military training ground, he had to move out of his newly built house and live in Lower Silesia, in the village of Krzydlina Wielka where he ran a small farm and worked as a railroad lineman. He has been living in Świdnica since 1979.[1]

Kowalski comes from a long-lived family his mother lived to be 99. For several dozen years Kowalski rode to work on a bicycle regardless of the weather outside.[2]

Career

When he competed at the Polish Veterans Championships on June 28, 2015, in Torun, Poland he became the world's oldest athlete.[3] On that day, Kowalski ran the 100 metres in 34.50, threw the shot put 4.27 m (14 ft 0 in) and the discus 7.50 m (24 ft 7​1⁄4 in).[4] By competing in those events, he surpassed the accomplishments of John Whittemore, who competed at 104 years 10 months. By virtue of his age being beyond 105 years old, he necessitates the creation of a new age division for World Masters Athletics, the M105 division of which he was the only member to have competed. Thus all of his performances are world records. M100 world record holder Hidekichi Miyazaki turned 105 on September 22, 2015 and two days later joined Kowalski as the second competitor in the division[5] though Kowalski was 77 days older when he competed.

When he was 104 years old, the Daily Mail did this Video on YouTube feature on him.[6] At that time he was lauded as the oldest person in Europe to run 100m after running a race in Wroclaw, Poland on May 10, 2014[7] and became the European record holder in the event, beating the previous record by a second.[8] He credits his longevity to never going to the doctor and doing whatever he wants. He also says not to eat much during the evening.[9][10]

He became the oldest living man in Poland after the death of 108 year old Józef Żurek on March 19, 2018.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Staff (2018-04-16). "Zaczął karierę sportową, mając 104 lata. Najstarszy lekkoatleta w Polsce obchodzi urodziny" (in Polish). Gazeta Wyborcza. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  2. ↑ Małgorzata Moczulska (2018-04-16). "Stanisław Kowalski kończy 108 lat! Jest mistrzem świata i najstarszym biegaczem na Ziemi [ZDJĘCIA]" (in Polish). Gazeta Wrocławska. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  3. ↑ "Witaj na stronie startowej". pzwla.eu.
  4. ↑ http://www.pzwla.eu/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_remository%26Itemid%3D106%26func%3Dfileinfo%26id%3D9&usg=ALkJrhhDF-13pHS1PvWcaS05qvg8b0Gfig
  5. ↑ http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/japans-hidekichi-miyazaki-sets-fresh-record-oldest-competitive-sprinter-n432736
  6. ↑ "104-year-old Stanislaw Kowalski completes 100 metre sprint". Mail Online.
  7. ↑ "104-Year-Old Man Runs 100-Meter Race". Runner's World.
  8. ↑ Ian Hughes (12 May 2014). "Stanislaw Kowalski: Pensioner is the oldest person in Europe to run 100m race - Mirror Online". mirror.
  9. ↑ "Pensioner Stanisław Kowalski becomes oldest man to run 100m in Europe at 104 - Metro News". Metro.
  10. ↑ http://www.medicaldaily.com/stanislaw-kowalski-104-year-old-runner-breaks-record-100-meter-dash-europe-282362
  11. ↑ Tomasz Więcławski (2018-03-22). "Pogrzeb najstarszego mężczyzny w Polsce - Józefa Żurka" (in Polish). Interia. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
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