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Adam Małysz
Adam Małysz at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.jpg
Małysz at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Country  Poland
Full name Adam Henryk Małysz
Born (1977-12-03) 3 December 1977 (age 47)
Wisła, Poland
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Personal best 230.5 m (756 ft)
Vikersund, 13 February 2011
World Cup career
Seasons 1995–2011
Individual wins 39
Indiv. podiums 92
Team podiums 4
Indiv. starts 350
Overall titles 4 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2007)
Four Hills titles 1 (2001)
Nordic titles 3 (2001, 2003, 2007)
Medal record
Men's ski jumping
Representing  Poland
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 3 1
Nordic World Championships 4 1 1
Ski Flying World Championships 0 0 0
Total 4 4 2
Olympic Games
Silver 2002 Salt Lake City Individual LH
Silver 2010 Vancouver Individual NH
Silver 2010 Vancouver Individual LH
Bronze 2002 Salt Lake City Individual NH
Nordic World Championships
Gold 2001 Lahti Individual NH
Gold 2003 Val di Fiemme Individual LH
Gold 2003 Val di Fiemme Individual NH
Gold 2007 Sapporo Individual NH
Silver 2001 Lahti Individual LH
Bronze 2011 Oslo Individual NH
Updated on 30 March 2015.
Adam Małysz
Debut season 2012
Championships Dakar Rally
Best finish 13 in 2014
Last updated on: 21 January 2014.


Adam Henryk Małysz (born 3 December 1977) is a famous Polish former ski jumper and later a rally driver. He competed in ski jumping from 1995 to 2011. Adam is known as one of the most successful athletes in the history of ski jumping. He won many awards, including four World Cup titles. He also earned four individual Winter Olympic medals and four individual World Championship gold medals.

After he stopped ski jumping, Małysz started a new career. He competed in the tough Dakar Rally race for several years. From 2018 to 2022, he worked as a director for ski jumping in Poland. In 2022, he became the CEO of the Polish Ski Federation.

Adam Małysz: Ski Jumping Legend

Early Career and Big Wins

Adam Małysz started his professional ski jumping career on 4 January 1995. He quickly showed his talent. In his first two seasons, he won competitions in places like Oslo and Sapporo.

His biggest breakthrough came in the 2000–01 season. He won the famous Four Hills Tournament. This was a huge achievement. He then dominated the season, winning five competitions in a row. He also won a gold medal at the 2001 World Championships. He finished that season by winning his first Nordic Tournament title.

Olympic Medals and World Championships

The 2001–02 season was also very successful for Adam. He stayed in the lead of the World Cup standings all season. He won his second World Cup title easily. At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Park City, he won two medals. He earned a silver medal on the large hill and a bronze medal on the normal hill.

In the 2002–03 season, Adam faced tough competition. But he regained his top form towards the end. At the 2003 World Championships, he won gold medals in both the normal and large hill events. He then won his second Nordic Tournament title. He even set a world record jump of 225 meters in Planica.

Later Years and Retirement

After these amazing years, Adam's performance changed a bit. He still had good results, but not as many wins. However, he made a big comeback in the 2006–07 season. He won several competitions, including three during the Nordic Tournament. This helped him win his third and final Nordic Tournament title. He also won another gold medal at the 2007 World Championships. He finished that season by winning his fourth World Cup title, matching a record set by Matti Nykänen.

From 2008 to 2011, Adam continued to achieve great results. He won two silver medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He had a special win in his home country, Poland, in Zakopane in January 2011. He also won a bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships. Adam Małysz announced his retirement from ski jumping on 26 March 2011, after a fantastic career.

Life After Ski Jumping

Rally Driving Adventures

After retiring from ski jumping, Adam Małysz decided to try a new sport. He became a rally driver. He competed in the famous Dakar Rally in 2012, 2013, and 2014. This is a very challenging off-road race. He improved his results each year, finishing 37th, then 15th, and finally 13th.

Leading Polish Skiing

Adam Małysz also took on leadership roles in Polish skiing. From 2018 to 2022, he worked as a director for ski jumping and Nordic combined at the Polish Ski Federation. On 25 June 2022, he was elected as the CEO of the Polish Ski Federation. This means he now leads the entire organization.

Awards and Recognition

Adam Małysz's success made him incredibly popular in Poland. He won the ski jumping event at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival five times. In 2001, he received the Holmenkollen Medal for his achievements. He was also voted the Polish Sportsman of the Year four times (in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2007).

For his amazing sports career, he received special honors from Poland:

POL Polonia Restituta Oficerski BAR
Officer's Cross

Officer's Cross (4th Class), 2002

POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR
Commander's Cross

Commander's Cross (3rd Class), 2007

POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski ZG BAR
Commander's Cross with Star

Commander's Cross with Star (2nd Class), 2010

In 2007, Adam opened a Trophy Gallery in his hometown of Wisła, Poland. It displays all the medals and trophies he won, including his World Cup Crystal Globes.

World Cup

Season titles

Season Title
2000–01 Overall

FIS Crystal Globe.svg

Four Hills Tournament
Nordic Tournament
2001–02 Overall

FIS Crystal Globe.svg

2002–03 Overall

FIS Crystal Globe.svg

Nordic Tournament
2006–07 Overall

FIS Crystal Globe.svg

Nordic Tournament

Personal life

Adam Małysz was born in Wisła, Poland. His parents are Ewa and Jan Małysz. He has an older sister named Iwona. Adam went to a vocational high school where he learned to be a tinsmith-roofer. He speaks German very well.

On 16 June 1997, he married Izabella Polok. They have a daughter named Karolina, who was born on 31 October 1997. Adam's life motto is "Be good and that's it." His sports hero is the German former ski jumper Jens Weißflog. Adam is a Lutheran.

See Also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Adam Małysz para niños

  • Sport in Poland
  • Poland at the Winter Olympics
  • List of Poles
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