Jerzy Kulej facts for kids
Jerzy Kulej in 2011
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 19 October 1940 Częstochowa, Śląskie, Poland |
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| Died | 13 July 2012 (aged 71) Warsaw, Poland |
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| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 66 kg (146 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Boxing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight class | Light welterweight | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Start Częstochowa Gwardia Warszawa |
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Medal record
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Jerzy Zdzisław Kulej (19 October 1940 – 13 July 2012) was a famous Polish boxer. He was also a politician and a sports commentator. Jerzy Kulej won two Olympic gold medals and two European Championship titles in boxing.
Contents
Jerzy Kulej: A Boxing Legend
Early Life and Boxing Start
Jerzy Kulej was born in 1940 in Częstochowa, Poland. He began his boxing journey in 1955. He joined the Start Częstochowa club to learn the sport. In 1958, he became part of Poland's national boxing team. This team was coached by the legendary Feliks Stamm.
Olympic Gold Medals
Jerzy Kulej made history at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He won a gold medal in the light welterweight division. This division is for boxers weighing less than 63.5 kilograms. He beat Yevgeny Frolov in the final match.
Four years later, in 1968, he went to the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He successfully defended his Olympic title. He won a very close match against Enrique Regüeiferos from Cuba. This made him the only Polish boxer to ever win two Olympic gold medals.
European Championship Success
Besides his Olympic wins, Jerzy Kulej also achieved great success in Europe. He won two gold medals at the European Amateur Championships. These wins happened in 1963 and 1965. He also earned a silver medal in the same championship in 1967.
His Boxing Record
Jerzy Kulej had an amazing boxing career. He competed in many matches. His final record shows 317 wins, 6 draws (ties), and only 25 losses. This is a truly impressive record for any boxer.
Beyond the Boxing Ring
After his boxing career, Jerzy Kulej explored other interests. In 1976, he appeared in a movie. It was called Przepraszam, czy tu biją?. The movie was directed by Marek Piwowski. In 1995, he received the Aleksander Reksza Boxing Award. This award honors great boxers.
In 1998, he was given a very important award. It was called the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. The President of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, gave him this award. It was for his "outstanding contributions to the Olympic movement" and for helping sports grow in Poland.
Public Life and Commentating
In his later years, Jerzy Kulej became involved in politics. He was a member of the Polish parliament, called the Sejm. He served from 2001 to 2005. He represented the Democratic Left Alliance party. A member of parliament helps make laws for the country.
He also became a well-known boxing commentator. He shared his knowledge and passion for boxing on the Polish TV station Polsat Sport.
Later Years and Passing
In December 2011, Jerzy Kulej had a serious heart attack. While he was recovering, doctors found out he had an eye condition. Sadly, this condition led to his passing. He died in Warsaw on 13 July 2012. He was 71 years old. He was buried on 20 July at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw.
See also
- List of Poles
- Sport in Poland
- Poland at the Olympics
