Władysław Komar facts for kids

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Władysław Komar

Władysław Komar in 1972
Personal information
Born	11 April 1940 Kaunas, Lithuania
Died	17 August 1998 (aged 58) Przybiernów, Poland
Alma mater	Academy of Physical Education in Poznań
Years active	1962–1980
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	125 kg (276 lb)
Sport
Sport	Shot put
Club	Lechia Gdańsk Wybrzeże Gdańsk Gwardia Warszawa Polonia Warszawa
Coached by	Sławomir Zieleniewski Janusz Koszewski
Medal record Representing Poland Olympic Games Gold 1972 Munich Shot put European Championships Bronze 1966 Budapest Shot put Bronze 1971 Helsinki Shot put European Indoor Championships Silver 1968 Madrid Shot put Silver 1972 Grenoble Shot put Silver 1978 Milan Shot put Bronze 1967 Prague Shot put Bronze 1977 San Sebastián Shot put

Władysław Stefan Komar (born April 11, 1940 – died August 17, 1998) was a famous Polish shot putter. He was also known as an actor and a cabaret performer. People sometimes called him "King Kong" Komar because of his strength.

Władysław competed in three Summer Olympics between 1964 and 1972. His biggest win was a gold medal at the Munich Games in 1972. He threw the shot put 21.18 meters, which was an amazing distance! His personal best throw was 21.19 meters outdoors and 20.32 meters indoors. These were national records for Poland during his career.

Early Life and Family

Władysław Komar was born in Kaunas, Lithuania, on April 11, 1940. His parents were Władysław Komar-Zabożyński and Wanda Jasińska. Both of his parents were athletes. His father competed in high jump and hurdles. His mother was a shot putter, just like Władysław would become. She even set a national record in the 1930s.

During World War Two, his family faced difficult times. They had to move from their home. After the war, in 1945, young Władysław moved with his mother and older sister to Warsaw, Poland, for safety. He later lived in an orphanage near Poznań for a while. In 1953, after finishing primary school, he moved back to live with his mother in Warsaw.

From Boxing to Athletics

Władysław Komar first started playing sports in 1955. His first sport was amateur boxing, where he competed in the heavyweight category. He was good enough to represent Poland at the under-20 level.

However, after a tough fight in 1959, he decided to try other sports. He briefly played rugby and handball. Soon, he switched to athletics, which is what he became most famous for.

Amazing Athletics Career

When Władysław first started in athletics, he tried different events. He even competed in the high jump and decathlon (a competition with ten different track and field events). In 1963, he set a Polish record in the decathlon!

His first big international competition was the 1962 European Athletics Championships in Belgrade. He finished fourth in the shot put. The next year, he set his first national record in the shot put, throwing 18.60 meters. In 1964, he improved his record to 19.50 meters. This made him one of the top athletes for the Olympic Games in Tokyo that year. He finished ninth in Tokyo.

In 1966, he set another Polish record, this time indoors, with a throw of 19.20 meters. Later that year, he won a bronze medal at the 1966 European Athletics Championships in Budapest.

His greatest moment came at his third Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. Władysław won the gold medal in the shot put competition. He threw 21.18 meters, just one centimeter further than the American athlete George Woods. It was a very close and exciting competition!

Life After Sports

After retiring from sports, Władysław Komar became an actor. He appeared in many films, including famous ones like Pirates (1986) and Kiler (1997). He also took part in professional wrestling shows that toured the Soviet Union in 1989 and 1990.

His Final Years

Władysław Komar passed away on August 17, 1998. He was in a car accident while returning from an athletics event. Another Olympic gold medalist, pole vaulter Tadeusz Ślusarski, was also in the car and died in the accident. The driver of the other car, former sprinter Jarosław Marzec, also died a few days later.

Every year, a special athletics meeting is held in Międzyzdroje to remember Władysław Komar and Tadeusz Ślusarski.

Personal Life

Władysław Komar was married twice. His first wife was Małgorzata Spychalska. Later, he married Maria, who was a former volleyball player. They had one son named Mikołaj, who grew up to become a photographer.

Competition Highlights

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Notes
Representing  Poland
1962	European Championships	Belgrade, Serbia	4th	18.00 m
1964	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	9th	18.20 m
1966	European Championships	Budapest, Hungary	3rd	18.68 m
1967	European Indoor Games	Prague, Czechoslovakia	3rd	18.85 m
1968	European Indoor Games	Madrid, Spain	2nd	18.40 m
	Olympic Games	Mexico City, Mexico	6th	19.28 m
1971	European Indoor Championships	Sofia, Bulgaria	4th	19.43 m
	European Championships	Helsinki, Finland	3rd	20.04 m
1972	European Indoor Championships	Grenoble, France	2nd	20.32 m
	Olympic Games	Munich, Germany	1st	21.18 m
1974	European Championships	Rome, Italy	6th	19.82 m
1977	European Indoor Championships	San Sebastián, Spain	3rd	20.17 m
1978	European Indoor Championships	Milan, Italy	2nd	20.16 m