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Ryszard Szurkowski facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Ryszard Jan Szurkowski (born January 12, 1946 – died February 1, 2021) was a famous Polish road bicycle racer. Many people thought he was a true legend in the sport of cycling in Poland.

Quick facts for kids
Ryszard Szurkowski
Personal information
Full name Ryszard Jan Szurkowski
Born (1946-01-12)12 January 1946
Świebodów, Poland
Died 1 February 2021(2021-02-01) (aged 75)
Radom, Poland
Team information
Discipline Road
Role Rider
Major wins
  • Peace Race (1970, 1971, 1973, 1975)
  • Dookoła Mazowsza (1977, 1978)
Ryszard Szurkowski medal & autograph
Copy of Szurkowski's medal and autograph in Sports Star Avenue in Dziwnów

Amazing Cycling Achievements

Ryszard Szurkowski was a very successful cyclist. He won many important races and medals.

Olympic Medals

He earned two silver medals at the Olympic Games.

World Championship Golds

Ryszard also won three gold medals at the World Cycling Amateur Championships.

  • In 1973, he won two gold medals. One was for the individual road race, where he raced by himself. The other was for the team road race.
  • In 1975, he won another gold medal in the team road race.
  • He also won a silver medal in the individual road race in 1974.

Peace Race Champion

One of his biggest achievements was winning the Peace Race four times. This was a very famous cycling event.

  • He won it in 1970.
  • He won it again in 1971.
  • He won it for a third time in 1973.
  • His fourth victory came in 1975.

He also won the Dookoła Mazowsza race twice, in 1977 and 1978.

Later Life and Legacy

Ryszard Szurkowski faced a difficult challenge later in his life.

An Accident and Recovery

In 2018, he had a serious accident during a bike race in Germany. He was badly hurt and his spinal cord was crushed. This left him unable to move his legs. After five months of hard work and therapy, he started to feel some sensation in his toes again.

His Passing

Ryszard Szurkowski passed away on February 1, 2021. He was 75 years old. He is remembered as one of Poland's greatest cyclists.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Ryszard Szurkowski para niños

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