Polish · Górowo Iławeckie, Poland · Born 30 July 1968Four-time Olympic race walk champion.
Robert Marek Korzeniowski was born on 30 July 1968 in Lubaczów, Poland, and initially wanted to practise judo as a 13-year-old Bruce Lee fan, but Polish authorities closed his school's gym during a state of emergency, leading him to join the school's track and field team instead. Korzeniowski took up race walking at 15, finishing last in his first Polish national championship before returning the following year to win the title, and moved to northern France in the early 1990s to access better training conditions, walking to Belgium and back on training days. Korzeniowski suffered disqualifications at both the 1992 Olympics and 1993 World Championships before working with coach Krzysztof Kisiel to refine his technique, going on to win an unprecedented three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 50km walk between 1996 and 2004. Korzeniowski achieved an unprecedented feat at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, winning both the 20km and 50km walks at the same Games, becoming the first athlete in history to do so, and retired after the 2004 Athens Olympics as the sport's most decorated race walker, later serving in senior roles at Polish Television and being inducted into the IAAF Hall of Fame in 2014.
Race Walking
How They Played
Exceptional endurance and technique in long-distance race walking
Lasting Impact
Greatest race walker in history, transformed Polish athletics prominence
Career Honours
- 1996,2000,2004 Olympic gold 50km walk
- 2000 Olympic gold 20km walk
- World champ 50km walk 1997/01/03
Polish Athletes