Polish University Sports Association

Akademicki ZwiÄ…zek Sportowy ISBN 978-83-65110-41-1

University Sports Association

Akademicki ZwiÄ…zek Sportowy University Sports Association

Warsaw 2016

Copyright © Akademicki Związek Sportowy, Zarząd Główny, Warsaw 2016

Photographs from the archives of AZS Central Board and organisational units, authors’ archives, and private collections

PUBLICATION PARTIALLY FUNDED

BY THE MINISTRY OF SPORTS AND TOURISM

EDITED BY

Halina Hanusz Bartłomiej Korpak Dariusz Sokołowski TRANSLATED BY

Waldemar Łyś TYPESETTING AND COVER DESIGN

Piotr Rachwaniec FALL, ul. Garczyńskiego 2, PL-31-524 Kraków Phone +48 12 413 35 00, e-mail: fall@fall.pl

“Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” – SPECIAL EDITION

ISSN 0209-0546

ISBN 978-83-65110-41-1

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS) University Sports Association

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n the autumn of 1908, an idea germinated among students of Jagiellonian University in Kraków who were keen enthusiasts of skiing and mountaineering. They set up a sports and tourism organisation, which soon firmly established itself at Polish higher education institutions. Still in operation, the organisation was the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS).

The founding meeting of the new organisation was held on 5 December 1908; on 15 May of the following year, the statute of AZS Kraków was adopted, and the first chairman, the medical student Wacław Majewski, appointed. On 19 June 1909, the authorities granted the Akademicki Związek Sportowy official permission to operate.

According to the first statute, the goal of the AZS was to spur interest in sport among young people, and to provide the members with material opportunities to take joint efforts towards development of physical strength by means of all wholesome and appropriate sports, plays, and games involving physical movement. In line with the ancient Greek ideals of

First hikes and first photos. From the left: Walery Goetel, Karol Bobrzyński, Wacław Majewski, Władysław Pawlica, Józef Grabowski.

History Hi H isttor ory of of the the Akademicki Ak ka ade emi m cki cki Z ck Zw Związek wią iąze ek Sp Sportowy porrto owy wy (AZS) (A AZ ZS) S

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Walery Goetel (1889–1972), mountaineer, skier, sports activist, one of the founders of AZS in Kraków, chairman, patron of AZS. Superintendent of AZS Kraków (1919–1948) and Central Board of AZS (1945–1948). Creator of Tatrzański Park Narodowy (Tatra National Park), co-founder of International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA). Geologist, professor at AGH (University of Mining and Metallurgy) in Kraków (1920–1960), chancellor in 1939 and again from 1945 to 1951, member of PAN (Polish Academy of Sciences). Pioneer of environmental science, which he gave the name of “sozology”. Author of many publications on mountaineering.

In 1966 he received a honorary membership of AZS.

AZS Kraków oldest club badge 1909–1910, sliver.

Official recognition of AZS by Austro-Hungarian Intendant in Lwów, 19 June 1909.

kalokagathia, founders of the Association paid particular attention to balanced development of students’ intellectual and physical faculties. Physical education, sport and tourism were meant to contribute not only to students’ wholesomeness, but also to constitute an important element of the entire didactic-educational process. The newly-established organisation promptly gained support from the body of professors; authorities of the University provided not only moral, but also material assistance.

In the earliest, pioneering period of its operation which fell on the final years of Poland’s occupation, the Akademicki Związek Sportowy very strongly identified itself with Poles’ aspirations for independence. Among other things, it manifested itself in active participation of student-sportsmen in Poland’s armed action during World War I, which brought Poland independence, and reinstated it on the political map of the world. In the autumn of 1918, student members of Warsaw-based university sport clubs (which began operation in 1916), got actively involved in disarming Germans. Commanded by Kajetan Nadratowski, a group of twenty AZS sportsmen captured Warsaw bridges, as well as a harbour on the Vistula.

Participants of walk marathon held during athletics meeting between University (U) and Technical University (P), Warsaw, 24 September 1916.

From the right: Kazimierz Biernacki (winner, 4:26.05), Jerzy Grabowski (4:35.58), Zygmunt Prasałek (4:39.55), Jerzy Makowiecki (did not finish).

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History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

Oldest emblem of AZS Lwów.

Władysław Kajetan Nadratowski, chairman of AZS Warszawa 1919–1921.

Board meeting of AZS in Wilno.

When Poland regained independence, the Akademicki Związek Sportowy expanded its operation to all university towns in the country. 1919 saw the establishment of the AZS in Poznań, as well as the final incorporation of the Association in Warsaw; in 1920, the organisation was established in Wilno, in 1921 – in Lublin, in 1922 – in Lwów and the Free Town of Danzig, and in 1925 – in Cieszyn. On the national level, operation of the AZS was coordinated by the Centrala Polskich Akademickich Związków Sportowych (Head Office of Polish University Sports Associations). Established in 1923, it initiated a number of varied organisational and sporting undertakings, as well as represented university sport in contacts with state authorities and foreign organisations. Stefan Grodzki from Warsaw was appointed the Head Office’s first chairman.

Independent Poland saw university circles very actively join the process of organisation and development of Polish sporting life. University sport activists initiated founding of national sports associations and their local structures. They also contributed to the establishment of the Polish Olympic Committee in 1919. The first Polish Olympian, the

Eugeniusz Piasecki (1872–1947), professor at Lwów (1909–1914) and Poznań Universities (1919–1947). Physician, author, theoretician and champion of sport and physical education. Founder and head of Poznań University’s Chair of Physical Education and Hygiene transformed in 1924 into autonomous Physical Education Dept. Superintendent of AZS Poznań in 1919–1939 and 1945–1947.

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

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Stefan Grodzki, student of University of Warsaw, coxswain, winner of 1920 eights national championship. First chairman of University of Warsaw Sporting Association (1916). On 19 March 1923, at the founding meeting of the AZS in Warsaw, elected chairman of the Association’s Central Board. Vice-president of the Warsaw-based International Sports Commission (CIE) in 1924/1925 academic year.

Fencing team, bronze medallists of the 1928 Summer Olympics. Standing from the left: Tadeusz Friedrich, Władysław Dobrowolski, Leszek Lubicz-Nycz, Marian Suski; sitting from the left: Adam Papée, Bela Szombathely (coach) and Władysław Segda.

William Karol Henneberg, architect, oarsman and tennis player, one of the first members of AZS Warszawa.

Graduate of Warsaw Technical University, he is the author of the AZS emblem, the Griffin.

skater Leon Jacewicz, who took part in the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, was a member of our organisation. At the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, the athlete of AZS Warszawa, Halina Konopacka, won the first Olympic gold medal for Poland.

Most AZS sports sections took part in national tournaments.

High level of competition made athletics the undeniably leading discipline. Halina Konopacka’s results were deemed phenomenal. Be-

Halina Konopacka, athlete of AZS Warszawa (1924–1931). In 1928, she won the first Olympic gold medal for Poland (discus throw, 39.62 m). 27-time national discus throw, shot put, javelin throw, high jump and combined events champion, she was holder of 23 national, and 3 world records. Here, pictured at an athletic event in 1925.

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History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

1936 Berlin Olympics. Double sculls bronze medallists: Roger Verey, Jerzy Ustupski (AZS Kraków).

Top athletes of AZS Poznań, 1936. From the left: Paweł Szmidt, Ryszard Jędrzejewski, Władysław Klemczak, N.N., Karol Hoffmann, Mieczysław Balcer, Marian Hoffmann, Jan Tęsiorowski, Henryk Gniot, N.N., Seweryn Ługowski.

tween 1924 and 1931, she won twenty-seven gold medals for AZS Warszawa. In discus throw, her crown discipline, she never sustained a defeat. In the interwar period, it was AZS Warszawa that dominated domestic rivalry winning 233 medals in men’s, and 116 in women’s disciplines. The most famous athletes were Stefan Kostrzewa, Józef Jaworski, Stefan Ołdak, Zygmunt Weiss, or the high jumper Jerzy Pływaczyk. In the women’s category, besides Halina Konopacka, these were also Halina Wojnarowska, Jolanta Manteuffel, or Felicja Chabińska, who ranked among the best in the country. The second most important centre was Poznań. Of the whole group of illustrious sportsmen and women, suffice it to mention Karol Hoffman, Poland’s nine-time long jump, high jump and triple jump champion, and the multi-talented Maria Lange. In fencing, these were athletes of AZS Kraków coached by the Hungarian Bela Szombathely who held the dominant position in the country in the 1920s. In time, fencers of AZS Warszawa and AZS Poznań entered the race for domestic supremacy.

Swimming and water polo were dominated by athletes of AZS Warszawa, of whom the Olympian Kazimierz Bocheński reached world-class results (in 1930, he swam 100 m free style

AZS Poznań fencing team, 1928. Standing from the left: N.N., Łucjan Lange, Stanisław Zagacki (fencing master), Maksymilian Kreutzinger, Emanuel Szczygieł.

AZS Kraków fencing team, 1922. From the left: Bolesław Macudziński, Konrad Winkler, Wanda Dubieńska, Adam Papée, Alfred Adler, Jerzy Zabielski.

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

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in 1:00.4). At the first national rowing championships held in Bydgoszcz in 1920, the medals also went to athletes of AZS Warszawa. Over time, however, Jan Bujwid’s coaching efforts let rowers of AZS Kraków enjoy their share of success. In tennis, Jadwiga Jędrzejowska was one of the players who gave this latter club numerous titles in tournaments held in the 1920s, while Przemysław Warmiński’s and Ignacy Tłoczyński’s successes made it possible for AZS Poznań to gradually join top-level rivalry (Poznań and Warsaw had own tennis courts). Running teams in all towns, the AZS played a very significant role in promoting team sports, and its clubs successfully competed in national league series.

All AZS sport sections were obliged to promote a given sporting discipline. Besides providing training for top sportsmen, sessions of recreational character were held. Introductory sports courses, which were frequently run by most outstanding athletes, were offered at nominal fees. The intention behind various publicity-oriented events and inter-university competitions was promotion of sport. In the late-1920s, a series of events under the name of “Tydzień Sportu Akademika” [Student’s Sporting Week] began in variJadwiga Jędrzejowska “Jed”, best tennis player in Polish history. From 1924 to 1933 member of AZS Kraków, later of Legia Warszawa. Three time Grand Slam singles finalist, runner-up at Wimbledon in 1937.

Last open-air men’s volleyball championships, Wilno 1935. The winning team of AZS Warszawa; standing from the left: Zbigniew Nowakowski, Romuald Wirszyłło, Stanisław Leinweber, Leszek Stypiński, Jerzy Lutz, Kazimierz Staniszewski, Bolesław Kozłowski.

AZS Lwów women’s volleyball team, 1934.

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History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

Swimming classes run by founders of AZS Warszawa swimming section: Wacław Moritz (left) and Zbigniew Lewicki, 1926.

Athletes of AZS Wilno opening the spring season, March 1937.

ous towns; these not only demonstrated the potential of university sport, but also made it possible for each student to take part in sporting events.

In the early-1920s, the Akademicki Związek Sportowy also contributed to the establishment of international university sports movement. In 1924, the AZS was the prime mover behind the establishment of Międzynarodowy Komisariat Sportowy [International Sports Commission], predecessor of the modern-day International University Sports Federation. In 1924–1925, the Komisariat had its seat in Warsaw; it was also here that on 17–20 September 1924 the first international university sporting event in history was held. Athletes representing England, Estonia, France, New Zealand, Italy and the USA competed in athletics, tennis, rowing, fencing and football. Athletes of AZS Warszawa: Stefan Kostrzewski (4 gold medals), Zygmunt Weiss (3 golds) and Sławosz Szydłowski (2 golds) proved the most versatile sportsmen. In the years to follow, Poland’s athletes took part in university world

For the 1st Summer Student World Championships held in Warsaw in 1924, Centrala Polskich Akademickich Związków Sportowych (Head Office of Polish University Sports Associations) prepared red (?) emblems with a white letter “A”.

Julian Gruner, first Polish champion in high jump (158 cm), 1922.

History Hist Hi stor st orry of the the Akademicki Aka kad de emi mick c iZ ck Zw Związek wią iąze zek ze k Sp Spo Sportowy orto orto towy wy y (AZS) (AZ AZS) S S)

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Medallists of the 1st Summer Student World Championships in Warsaw, 1924: Józef Jaworski and Stefan Kostrzewski.

Women’s university champions in basketball, Paris 1937. Standing from the left: Helena Woynarowska, Halina Bruszkiewicz, Irena Brzustowska, Zdzisława Wiszniewska-Bednarek, Wanda Gąsiorowska, Zofia Wardyńska, sitting from the left: Jadwiga Batiukówna, Irena Jaśnikowska, Jadwiga Bąkowska.

Silver medallists in basketball, Paris 1937. From the left: Jarogniew Kasprzak, Jarosław Śmigielski, Marceli Czaplicki, Ludomir Pawłowski, Zenon Różycki, Stefan Gendera (all AZS Poznań).

Mirosława Kratochwilówna, AZS Warszawa, best swimmer of pre-WWII era, multiple national 100 and 400 m champion. Winner of 100 m event (1:15.3) at at International University Games in Monaco, 1939.

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championships in summer disciplines winning a total of sixty-five medals, as well as seven places on the podium in winter disciplines.

The outbreak of World War II put a halt to the operation of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy. The fortunes of the organisation members coincided with those of hundreds of thousands of young Polish men and women. Władysław Twardo, top AZS Warszawa hockey and handball athlete, remembers: When the Nazi hordes took hold of Warsaw after a month-long siege, and the defendants’ heroic resistance, AZS members began to arrive in the

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

AZS Warszawa hockey team. From the left: Aleksander Kowalski, Aleksander Tupalski, Wilhelm Rybak, Edmund Czaplicki, Lucjan Kulej, Tadeusz “Ralf” Adamowski, Kazimierz Żebrowski.

Aleksander Pilarski, oarsman, skier and boxer, member of AZS Warszawa since 1925. Chairman of AZS Warszawa (1935–39 and 1945–48), and of AZS Central Board (1938–39); head of peer tribunal (1962–81). Honorary Member of the Association since 1969.

capital. It was not easy to meet, gatherings were banned, sporting facilities of the AZS taken over by the occupants, the boathouse and embankment on the Vistula bombed, and the club’s office in the Hall of Residence in Narutowicza Square taken over by the German army. Together with the facilities, all AZS assets, including all trophies, were lost.

Yet, even in those dark years there was place for sport.

Since 1941, AZS members organised underground Warsaw volleyball championships in the German-occupied Polish capital. They also took part in clandestine sailing, skating, swimming, and football events. Our athletes also attempted sporting activity in German POW camps. A significant example was the 1944 event held at Gross-Born POW camp.

Initiated by the AZS athlete, two-time Olympian (1924 and 1928) Zygmunt Weiss, the event even involved traditional Olympic ceremonies.

Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz, swimmer and water polo player of AZS Warszawa (1937– –1939). Hero of the Greek WWII resistance.

Codenamed “Agent 1”, he carried out a number of spy and sabotage missions. Arrested and killed in Athens in 1943. Posthumously awarded Gold Cross of Order of Virtuti Militari and the Greek Gold Cross of Valour.

Marian Woyna-Orlewicz

Opening ceremony of Monaco International University Games, August 1939.

National flag bearer: Karol Hoffmann. It was the last sporting event in Europe before World War II.

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

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During WWII, in 1944, Polish POWs in Oflag IIC (Woldenberg) held games attended by several pre-war athletes.

Photograph of the Olympic flag and cups made by the prisoners of mess tins.

AZS Warszawa, winners of the underground Warsaw Championships in 1943. Standing from the left: Zygmunt Nowak, Henryk Słyk, Juliusz Kijewski, Kazimierz Staniszewski, Igor Tepicyn; sitting from the left: Romuald Wirszyłło, Witold Szeremeta, Zbigniew Nowakowski, Eugeniusz Krotkiewski (KS Iskra), Edward Olszewski.

Between 1939 and 1945, numerous AZS members lost their lives. Furthermore, facilities and equipment of the rather indigent university clubs suffered widespread destruction, and the organisational structure of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy was completely obliterated.

When World War II ended, and higher education began its revival, the Akademicki Związek Sportowy also rebuilt its organisational structures. Pre-war university clubs were re-established (naturally, to the exclusion of towns such as Lwów and Wilno, which were incorporated into the USSR upon revision of the borders). AZS Lublin began its operation as early as August 1944. AZS Kraków, AZS Warszawa and AZS Poznań resumed theirs in 1945; new AZS units – in Częstochowa, Katowice, Łódź, Gliwice, and Wrocław

“The List of AZS Casualties during WWII 1939–1945” recorded war losses of AZS Gdańsk, AZS Kraków, AZS Lublin, AZS Lwów, AZS Poznań, AZS Warszawa and AZS Wilno. Still incomplete, the list covers sportsmen, coaches, instructors, and other AZS members fallen, murdered, or lost during the war. The report was prepared in the 1980s by Ryszard Wryk under the auspices of the Historical Commission of AZS Central Board.

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History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

Participants of winter “Silesiada” in the Karkonosze Mountains.

AZS Warszawa football team before a game with Dinamo Moscow, 1947. From the left: Romuald Wirszyłło (section head), Kazimierz Staniszewski, Czesław Plejewski, Józef Wowkonowicz, Leonard Michniewski, Bohdan Bartosiewicz, Jacek Christians, Janusz Lenkiewicz.

– were established. Numerous pre-war activists began their community work anew; many athletes continued their war-interrupted careers. Destroyed sports facilities were quickly rebuilt, and, in a number of locations, new ones were acquired. In August 1946, a recreation camp combined with sporting classes conducted by sportsmen and coaches was organised for a few hundred students on the island of Wolin (Międzyzdroje and Wisełka). A year later, winter meetings in the Karkonosze Mountains, which went down in history under the name of “Silesiada”, were initiated. AZS headquarters organised three such events, each attended by ca. one thousand students. In 1948, these were already close to fifteen thousand students to compete under the AZS colours, and student-athletes dominated such disciplines, as basketball, volleyball, athletics or rowing.

Soon, however, it turned out that the AZS could not operate in isolation from Poland’s post-war political situation. At the turn of 1948 and 1949, when the cold war had exacerbated, organisation of Poland’s

Students from Poznań leaving for Międzyzdroje summer camp, August 1946.

First post-war women’s volleyball championships. Teams from the left: AZS Lublin (with emblems), AZS Warszawa, Warta, and Pomorzanin, 1946.

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

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At the 1948 national championships, AZS Poznań athletics team won four gold medals. Zdobysław Stawczyk (100 m sprint), Jan Skałbania (110 m hurdles), Karol Hoffmann (triple jump), and the 4×100 m relay. The relay, from the left: Cyryl Adamski, Zdobysław Stawczyk, Jan Skałbania and Józef Rutkowski.

Kazimierz Walter (1910–89), economist.

Member of AZS Kraków, fencer and oarsman.

Chairman of AZS Kraków (1938– –39, 1945–48).

After the 1939 campaign (Battle of Pszczyna), active in the Polish underground resistance “AK” (Home Army).

Took part in reinstatement of AZS after the war, Chairman of the Central Board (1945–48), first supervisor of summer camps in Wolin, Międzyzdroje, Wisełka (1946–47) and winter training camp in Karpacz (1946–48); manager of Polish universities winter team in Davos (1947). Founder of AZS Kraków Seniors Club (1956). In 1966, awarded AZS Honorary Membership.

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AZS ski team for the 7th International University Championships in Špindlerův Mlýn, Czechoslovakia, 1949, headed by Zdzisław Straszak (first on the left) and the coach Marian Orlewicz (sitting in the middle). Standing (from the left): T. Kozak (3), J. Borgosz (5), T. Kwapień (9), S. Karpiel (10), J. Marusarz (11); sitting from the left: S. Dziedzic (1), T. Kaczmarczyk (2), T. Kodelska (3), H. Stupka (4), H. Stepek (5) and M. Samek-Gąsienica.

entire sporting life was reshaped into the Soviet mould, which also affected the AZS. The Akademicki Związek Sportowy, the hitherto independent Akademicki Związek Morski [University Maritime Association], and sports sections of “Bratniak” student mutual assistance organisations were merged to form the Akademickie Zrzeszenie Sportowe [University Sports Union]. The organisation lost its federative character.

Luckily, the period of Stalinism in Poland ended in 1956. The AZS returned to the name of Akademicki Związek Sportowy, old traditions could be observed, and sever-

Witalis Ludwiczak (1910– –88), lawyer, member of AZS Poznań since 1925.

He practised ice hockey, rowing, athletics, handball and basketball. Member of national hockey team (1931––39). Two-time winter Olympian (1932, 1936).

Fought in the 1939 campaign. POW in Oflag II C (Woldenberg). Chairman of AZS Poznań (1945–46, 1957–69), member of FISU. Professor at Poznań University since 1945. In 1969, awarded AZS Honorary Membership. Holder of medal Kalos Kagathos (1985).

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

Władysław Twardo (1907–88), graduate of the Academy of Political Sciences in Warsaw.

Member of AZS Warszawa since 1927. He practised many sport disciplines: ice hockey (Polish champion, 1930), handball (2nd place, 1938), several times on the national team. During WWII active in the Polish underground resistance “AK” (Home Army), platoon commander in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. After the war active in reviving AZS Warszawa. Basketball and handball coach (1946–50).

In 1976, awarded AZS Honorary Membership.

Parades of university youth were regular elements of sporting events.

al people removed in the Stalinist era, returned to the organisation. The period also marked the association’s return to the then unifying international university movement, as well as brought major changes and development to its organisational structure combined with stepped-up efforts to promote sport among students.

Since 1959, when the AZS became member of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), and the 1st Summer Universiade in Turin was held, the Association has been taking part in university sporting events. Permanent presence of the AZS delegates on FISU authorities also deserves to be emphasized: Zdzisław Straszak was FISU’s Vice-President (1960s), while Bogdan Kołodziejek (1970s), and Aleksander Ronikier (1980s and 1990s) – members of the Executive Committee.

The late-1950s also brought significant changes to the structure of the Association: operating at universities since 1949, AZS sports circles were transformed in

Romuald Wirszyłło (1908–80), architect, Ph.D. in technical science. Member of AZS Warszawa since 1923. AZS Warszawa volleyball player (since 1924). Member of national team (1934). First coach at AZS Warszawa; captain of volleyball team at Polski Związek Gier Sportowych (1936–39). Member of AZS basketball team (1929–33).

Engineer soldier during the war in 1939, later in the ranks of the AK (Home Army). Initiated underground volleyball championships in the Nazi-occupied Warsaw (1940–44). Chairman of FIVB technical commission (1947–53). As architect, he specialized in the construction of sports facilities; lecturer at AWF Warsaw. In 1969, awarded AZS Honorary Membership.

Stefan Dziedzic (1927–2006), member of HKN and AZS Zakopane (1945–68). He was one of the most versatile skiers in the history of PZN (Polish Skiing Association) – cross-country skier, nordic and alpine combined. Took part in two Winter Olympic Games (1948, 1952), eleven-time Polish national championship medallist, twelve-time International University Championships medallist, national team coach. International referee, Tatra mountain guide, holder of medal Kalos Kagathos (1985), and AZS Honorary Membership (1999). Head of production department at Szaflary Ski Factory (1967–72), Member of Parliament (1980–85).

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

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Zdzisław Straszak (1921–88), engineer, graduated from Warsaw Technical University. Practised handball, tennis, ice hockey and motor sports. Active on international university sports organisations, he was member and deputy chairman of the Sports Council of International Student Union (1957–69). Between 1961 and 1971, deputy chairman of FISU Executive Committee. Member of: GKKF (Central Committee for Physical Culture), PKOl (Polish Olympic Committee), and many others. In 1969, awarded AZS Honorary Membership.

Polish national university team in Turin, 1959.

1957 into AZS university clubs. These enjoyed a significant degree of organisational independence, and their operation was based on students’ community work. AZS Provincial Boards, which coordinated the Association’s operation in particular provinces, were also established. This way, the three-level structure of the organisation was shaped: from clubs operating at particular universities, to provincial structures, to AZS Central Board.

A new system of tournaments for the newly-established university clubs – Polish university championships – was introduced in 1961. From now on, clubs’ activities were also closely associated with the operation of universities’ specialised didactic units, i.e. sport and physical education centres, through which universities effected the compulsory threeyear physical education programme, as well as provided students with conditions to practise sport in AZS sections: sports facilities, coaching supervision, and basic equipment.

Zygmunt Ol Olesiewicz “Chubby” (1929–1993). Always interested in sport, his favourite disciplines were basket basketball and football. He revealed exceptional talent for training and planning; raised ten Olympians, Olympia and dozens of Polish national team players. His women’s basketball team of AZSAWF Warszawa Warszaw took nine national championship titles; and in 1967 his men’s team took the title.

National tea team coach: men’s (1958–1960), and women’s (1973–1978). 7th place in the Olympic Games in Ro Rome. Held many posts in Warsaw Provincial Basketball Union, Central Board of the AZS, and the Central Committee for Physical Culture and Tourism.

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History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

Zbigniew Lubiejewski and Mirosław Rybaczewski (both of AZS Olsztyn), gold medallists in volleyball at the Montreal Olympics; here photographed at Olympic Games in Mexico, 1968.

Naturally, our flagships at the time were competitive sports. However, our claim to fame were not only hundreds of medals won at the most important events throughout the world, not only such illustrious sportsmen, as Waldemar Baszanowski (two-time Olympic champion and holder of numerous world records in weight lifting), the world record holder in high jump Jacek Wszoła (gold and silver Olympic medals), the players of Hubert Wagner’s “gold” volleyball team from Montreal, or excellent fencers and rowers. These were also various organisational efforts, like the establishment in 1973 of the School and University Sport Federation (SZS-AZS), and a number of other undertakings that marked the Asociation’s efforts to popularise different sporting disciplines in Poland.

When Poland regained sovereignty in 1989, the ensuing economic and social transformations thoroughly remodelled the foundations on which the country was based. These changes also profoundly affected operation of the AZS.

Waldemar Romuald Baszanowski (1935–2011), weightlifter (light weight 67.5 kg) of AZS Warszawa (1957–1972). Coaches: Augustyn Dziedzic, Klemens Roguski. Graduated from AWF Warsaw (1961), MA in physical education, academic teacher at AWF, coach of national Polish and Indonesian teams. Activist of the Polski Związek Podnoszenia Ciężarów (Polish Weightlifting Union), PKOl (Polish Olympic Committee), President of the European Weightlifting Federation (1999–2008). Four-time Olympian, and double Olympic champion (1960 Rome – 5th, 1964 Tokyo – 1st, 1968 Mexico – 1st, 1972 Munich – 4th).

Flag bearer of Polish national team (1964, 1968, 1972). Five-time world champion (1961, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969), holder of 24 world records, six-time European champion (1961, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971), holder of 61 Polish records, nine-time national champion (feather weight). Invincible, he was often referred to as: “the 20th-century Hercules”, “Barbell professor”, “weightlifting phenomenon” or “giant of modern sport”. One of 20 best sportsmen of 20th century.

According to “World Weightlifting” (1997), third best weightlifter of all time. Holder of medal Kalos Kagathos (1994), and AZS Honorary Membership (2003).

Postcard promoting Polish Olympic medallists, Jacek Wszoła, Montreal 1976.

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

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Jerzy Skorowski was awarded the honorary membership of AZS during the 9th National Congress in 1976.

Jerzy Skorowski, (b. 1930), graduated from AWF Warsaw (1954), Ph.D. in physical education (1966), university teacher (1955–1957), head of Department of Physical Education and Sport at SGPiS in Warsaw (1957–1974), head of department at Ministry of Education (1974–1981), AZS Secretary General (1981–1991). Athlete (since 1951), member of AZS AWF Warszawa, chairman of AZS SGPiS Warszawa (1956–1974), Secretary of AZS Warszawa Regional Council (1958–1962), chairman of Physical Education Commission at Polish Teachers Union (ZNP), member of Programme Committee of AZS Central Board, deputy chairman of SZS-AZS Federation (1973–76), head of AZS Honorary Member Assembly.

Above all, higher education enjoyed a period of significant development: several new private and public schools were established, and the number of students quadrupled to reach almost 2 million. The AZS tried to catch up with his development. At the time, the number of organisational units trebled reaching 327. Over 280 of them were university clubs, as the AZS began sporting activity at both state-run higher vocational schools, and at dozens of private higher education establishments. Hundreds of sections were established, in particular in new, popular disciplines. Competitions were held not only at university championship level, but also at this of national league in men’s basketball (University Basketball League) and futsal (University Futsal League). Cup events to close intercollegiate competition in particular towns were held regularly. From 1987, the Studencki Festiwal Sportowy [Student Sports Festival], an event for AZS members which combined competition, entertainment and team-bonding elements, was held annually during the holiday season. The venue for the meetings (which were held until 2010) was the Asociation’s own centre in Wilkasy in the Mazury region. The AZS, whose operation at the time was mainly based on the volunteer formula, regularly offered courses in university sports management and administration, as well as training which let one acquire instructor’s qualifications and authorisations. In effect, membership of the organisation rose to over fifty-five thousand. The membership system was based on a uniform system of records, which granted persons who joined the AZS accident insurance, opportunities to take part in its activities and sporting competition, as well as numerous priv-

Following Poland’s 1989 economic transformation, AZS Central Board organised training courses for the then newly established teacher training colleges (1995), and private higher schools (1996) which declared their intention to join the AZS movement.

18

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

ileges associated with the ISIC international loyalty programme.

In the 1980s, despite numerous obstacles, mainly financial and organisational, a number of ideas emerged which contributed to the development of the Association. Published by the Central Board, “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” [University Sports Review] magazine played a significant role in promoting sport in the university circles. Though laid out quite differently, the magazine is published to date, and constitutes an important supplement to the news published on www.azs.pl webpage, FB profile, and other Internet media.

Implemented in 1997, the state “Programme for development of sport in university environment” made accomplishment of many of these objectives possible. The programme provided funding for the Association’s units directly from state budget. Formal foundations were also laid to allow AZS sports clubs to apply for resources managed by local

In 1983, a new sporting event under the name of Championships of University League Champions was initiated as part of celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the AZS. Forty teams took part in handball, volleyball, basketball and futsal competitions. Since then, AZS Kraków (originator of the event) organised the championships (except for 1986, when basketball tournament was held by AZS Rzeszów).

Revival of “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” (University Sports Review), proved to be one of the most significant decisions of the 1980s. With Adam Miszta as editor-in-chief, the first issue of the renewed magazine was published in July 1981.

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

19

AZS facebook fanpage

In 1993, Poland (Zakopane) was host to 16th Winter Universiade. Attended by Polish President Lech Wałęsa and FISU president, Primo Nebiolo, the opening ceremony was directed by Krzysztof Jasiński of the Krakówbased Teatr STU. Eight years later (2001) Zakopane organised the 20th Winter Universiade.

20

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

self-governments, and, in the case of university clubs, also for support from their parent universities.

International activity has significantly increased: AZS and Polish national teams are among the most numerous ones at Universiades, as well as at world and European university championships. The AZS initiates organisation of numerous world university sporting events in the country. 1993, when the Winter Universiade was held in Zakopane, was a breakthrough year. The organisational success of the event held under the patronage of President Lech Wałęsa not only significantly boosted the position of university sports in Poland, but also inspired organisation of several university events: world, or – after 1999 – European championships. Poland entered the new, 21st century with the 2001 Winter Universiade once again held in Zakopane.

Development of higher education, and Poland’s overall economic growth have also contributed to improvement of the conditions in which to practise sports. Dozens of new university sports facilities – halls, pitches, swimming pools, or gyms – are under construction. The process also concerns the hotel base, as well as sports, rehabilitation and regeneration facilities that constitute AZS property. The Association has set out to establish university sport centres in Wilkasy in the Mazury Region, in Gdańsk on the Baltic Sea, and in Zieleniec in the Orlickie Mountains. A sports compound with hotel base is under construction in Wrocław, as is an athletic complex comprising a stadium and a sports hall in Łódź; AZS watersport centres in Gdańsk, Toruń, Szczecin, Gorzów, and Kraków undergo modernisation, as do the Association’s facilities in Poznań.

In the early-1990s, the Akademicki Związek Sportowy got actively involved in the establishment of European university sports structures. First, these were international student sport meetings organised in close collaboration with partners from Germany, Belarus, and Ukraine, and later, ones held within the framework of EUSA, of which Poland was a founding member.

From the very introduction of European competitions, AZS men’s and women’s teams from several Polish universities have participated in these events, ranking among the best. Organisation of numerous championship events in Poland in recent years has been for us a source of pride and satisfaction.

Lech Wałęsa at the opening ceremony of 1993 Winter Universiade in Zakopane.

Closing ceremony of 20th Winter Universiade. The FISU flag is handed over by Polish Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek and Mayor of Zakopane Adam Bachleda to President George E. Killian. Zakopane, 2001.

Between 1996 and 2008, AZS modernized and refurbished its sports centres. On the left: Zieleniec in the Sudety mountains, below: Wilkasy near Giżycko in the Masurian Lake District.

History Hi H ist ist sto orry of of the th he e Akademicki Ak ka ade dem miic ck ki Z Zw Związek wiią ąz ze ek S Sp Sportowy por orto rto towy wy (AZS) (A AZ ZS) S)

21 2 1

The team of AZS Opole, first winner of the Festiwal Studenckiej Siatkówki (Student Volleyball Festival), Tarnopol, Ukraine, 2002.

Between 4 and 11 July 2004, Wrocław held the second edition of EUC in football.

Not only did Besancon University team prove unrivalled, they also kept a clean sheet. Two Polish teams, Wrocław Technical University and UMCS Lublin came 6th and 7th respectively.

22

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

Political changes which took place in Poland after 1989 exerted a profound influence also upon the domain of sport. Several clubs previously affiliated with large enterprises, state and social institutions (army, police, trade unions) discontinued their operation. This way, the AZS became a significant sporting force in the country (e.g. as of the Sydney Olympics in 2000, “the griffin” athletes have accounted for over 1/3 of the Olympic team). New Olympic medallists and new stars have emerged: the hammer thrower Szymon Ziółkowski, the swimmer Otylia Jędrzejczak, the rower Tomasz Kucharski, the fencer Sylwia Gruchała, the shot putter Tomasz Majewski, the gymnast Leszek Blanik, the rowing four: Adam Korol, Marek Kolbowicz, Michał Jeliński, and Konrad Wasielewski, and in the winter Olympics: the cross-country skier Justyna Kowalczyk, ski jumpers, and speed skaters. Financing of the system is based on government-approved programmes of supporting university sports, incl. the University Sports Training Centre programme. Introduced in 2005 at selected AZS clubs and universities, it involves over 100 sports sections, which currently account for the strength of Polish sport in several disciplines.

Sporting success of AZS athletes in world competition constituted an important promotional element of the Asociation’s centennial celebrations held under the patronage of the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński.

The opening event had a truly global dimension, as Kraków, the birthplace of AZS, played host to the 2008 FISU FORUM attended by the President of the Federation Georg E. Killian and numerous delegates of university sports organisations. We also promoted our centenary among participants of the 2009 Universiades in Harbin and Belgrade.

A mark of Poland’s activity in world university sports is also its growing position in the authorities of world and European university sports federations.

A number of AZS members perform various functions on both the governing bodies of these institutions, as well as on their task and technical commissions. In

2012, Adam Roczek, deputy chairman of AZS Central Board, was elected EUSA President.

In 2015, Marian Dymalski, member of the Association’s national authorities, and member of FISU Executive Committee (since 2003), was elected the Federation’s Vice-President.

An important step for the development of university sport in Poland was the agreement signed in 2011 by the Minister of Science and Higher Education, and the Minister of Sport and Tourism, in which organisational and material foundations were laid to assist student-sportsmen, as well as support improvement of scientific-research base whose goal is to boost sports education at universities.

Changes which occurred in Polish higher schooling after 2010, and the decreasing number of students have also influenced the organisation. At the end of 2015, with close to forty-two thousand members who regularly practise in over 3000 sports sections associated in 250 clubs, the AZS is still the largest national student organisation. Over thirty thousand students from 180 schools participate in the AZS-organised system of sporting

Meeting of AZS activists with President Bronisław Komorowski, November 2014.

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

23

Marian Dymalski, member of AZS Central Board. Member of FISU Executive Committee since 2003, at 2015 General Assembly elected FISU Vice-President.

30 March 2011. Minister of Sport and Tourism Adam Giersz, and Minister of Science and Higher Education Barbara Kudrycka sign an arrangement on development of university sport in Poland.

Adam Roczek, member of AZS Central Board. At General Assembly in Maribor elected president of EUSA for 2012–16 term.

24

competition, i.e. the National University Championships. Each year, several dozen qualifier and final events of the series are held. On AZS motion, these were also disabled students who joined the system of competition in 2015. Involvement of this group of students let our association become a partner in European projects applied for and carried out within the Erasmus+ programme framework.

Summing up, the great contribution of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy to the development of sports in Poland in the past cannot be overestimated. However, it should not be measured only in terms of medals won and records set. One should also remember about the significant role the Association played in promoting various forms of physical education, sports and tourism in the Polish society already in the first years of its operation.

Viewing the role of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy from the perspective of the past century, one has to state that its key objectives, i.e.  promoting physical activity among students,  providing opportunities for talented young people to practise sports,

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

 

shaping an attitude of responsibility for the club, university and the environment among students, promoting sport as a good opportunity to build bonds between young people, have remained unchanged

A particularly significant trait of the Association’s operation throughout the entire period of its activity has been the faithfulness with which the organisation abides by the ideals and principles of university sport laid out by the founders of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy one hundred years ago.

On 10 October 2008, Barbara Kudrycka, the Minister of Education, held a breakfast meeting with AZS Olympians. From the left: Tomasz Majewski (AZS AWF Warszawa), Tomasz Motyka (AZS AWF Wrocław), Barbara Kudrycka, Adam Korol (AZS AWFiS Gdańsk), Robert Zawrotniak (AZS AWF Kraków), Michał Jeliński (AZS AWF Gorzów Wlkp.), Leszek Blanik (AZS AWFiS Gdańsk), Konrad Wasielewski (AZS Szczecin).

History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (AZS)

25

Olympic Games A mbitions and dreams of individual athletes, activity of sports clubs, aspirations of national sport associations, and finally, policies of the majority of states are ultimately aimed at achieving success at greatest world events. Without a doubt, with the involvement of national teams, high sporting level, and the amount of media coverage, Olympic Games are one of such events. Medals won at these tournaments boost national pride, while defeats prompt widespread criticism. Besides economic and military rivalry, countries of various social systems, economic potential, or geographical location for years also competed in the field of sport. After a period of economic and social

Silver Olympic medallists (team epee). From the left: Mariusz Strzałka, Andrzej Lis, Leszek Swornowski and coach Adam Medyński (all AZS Politechnika Wrocławska).

26

Olympic Games

Barbara Wysoczańska née Szeja, fencer of AZS AWF Warszawa (1967–88), twotime Olympian, the first Polish Olympic foil medal winner, multiple national championships medallist. Graduate of AWF Warsaw, coach, currently head of Department of Physical Education and Sport at University of Warsaw.

transformations, sporting success became for many governments an important element of building state identity. In Europe, the process was particularly well visible in the early-1990s, upon the break-up of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics and Yugoslavia.

Naturally, with an extensive programme of training in Olympic disciplines, from the very beginning of its operation, the Akademicki Związek Sportowy was part of the process, and has written many a page in the history of Polish Olympic movement. The first Polish Olympian was the skater Leon Jucewicz of AZS Warszawa, who competed in Chamonix in 1924, and the first female Olympian, who took part in the Paris Games in 1924, was the fencer Wanda Dubieńska of AZS Kraków. The discus thrower Halina Konopacka of AZS Warszawa won the first gold medal at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. AZS athletes Waldemar Baszanowski (weight lifting), Tomasz Majewski (shot put), Tomasz Kucharski (rowing), and cross-country skier Justyna Kowalczyk belong to the small group of Polish double Olympic champions.

In each post-war Olympic decade, had an undisputed leader among AZS athletes. In the 1950s, it was Teodor Kocerka, the driving force of Polish rowing at the national and University team level. Not only a competitor, but also a coach and expert, the single scull king took part in four Olympic Games and won two Olympic medals. His success prompted introduction of rowing training programmes in Szczecin, Toruń, and Warsaw. In the decade to follow, a similar role fell to Waldemar Baszanowski; he promoted weight lifting on a scale far greater than his own Bielany-based club of AZS Warszawa. At the turn of the 1970s and 80s, it was the high jumper of AZS-AWF Warsaw Jacek Wszoła who became a role model for the rebelliously-minded young people of the period.

Successes of the AZS Politechnika Wrocławska fencing team headed by expert swordsman Adam Medyński coincided with political turbulence of the 1980s. For many athletes, withdrawal of the Polish team from the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 meant personal drama, and in certain cases even punishment for non-compli-

In the 1990s, Paweł Nastula, an athlete of AZS AWF Warszawa, was a leading world judoka in the 95 kg category. Olympic champion from Atlanta, where he beat M.S. Kim of Korea in the final by an ippon.

Tomasz Kucharski (AZS AWF Gorzów Wlkp.) and Robert Sycz were the first to cross the finish line in double sculls competition. Sydney 2000.

Olympic Games

27

Leszek Blanik, a gymnast of AZS AWF Gdańsk, won bronze in Sydney 2000.

Sylwia Gruchała, a foil fencer of AZS AWFiS Gdańsk, has won two Olympic medals: team silver in Sydney with Anna Rybicka, Barbara Wolnicka, and Magdalena Mroczkiewicz, and individual bronze in Athens.

28

Olympic Games

ance. It is thus no surprise that we should find Robert Felisiak and Mariusz Strzałka on the German national team, which won the gold medal in the team event at the Olympic Games in Barcelona. The 1990s brought medals won by fencers of AZS AWF Gdańsk and rowers of AZS-AWF Warsaw. Although the new century opened with Olympic championship for Szymon Ziółkowski of AZS Poznań in the hammer throw competition at the Sydney Games, it was the swimmer of AZS-AWF Warsaw Otylia Jędrzejczak who dominated the decade. Its latter part belonged to the cross-country skier Justyna Kowalczyk of AZS AWF Katowice who won a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics in Turin, only to endorse her status of a top world athlete with medals in Vancouver and Sochi.

The leading centre of Olympic training is AZS-AWF Warsaw. The club has produced nineteen Olympic Games medallists, who have won a total of twenty-two Olympic medals (incl. seven golds, seven silvers, and eight bronzes) in such disciplines, as judo, athletics, volleyball, swimming, weight lifting, and fencing.

In 1999, the Central Board of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy endowed the Złoty Gryf [Golden Griffin] Prize which is awarded to AZS Olympic gold medallists.

Szymon Ziółkowski, AZS Poznań, gold medal for hammer throw, Summer Olympics, Sydney 2000.

Silver team foil medallists from Atlanta: Piotr Kiełpikowski, Jarosław Rodzewicz, Ryszard Sobczak (AZS AWF Gdańsk) and Adam Krzepiński (AZS AWF Warszawa).

AZS medallists of the Olympic Games Year

City

AZS medallists

Discipline

Medal

AZS club

Polish medals in total

1928

Amsterdam

Halina Konopacka Kazimierz Laskowski Aleksander Małecki Adam Papee Władysław Segda Jerzy Zabielski

Athletics Sabre team Sabre team Sabre team Sabre team Sabre team

gold bronze bronze bronze bronze bronze

Warsaw Kraków Kraków Kraków Kraków Kraków

5

1932

Los Angeles

Władysław Dobrowolski

Sabre team

bronze

Warsaw

7

1936

Berlin

Jerzy Ustupski Roger Verey

Rowing Rowing

bronze bronze

Kraków Kraków

6

1952

Helsinki

Teodor Kocerka

Rowing

bronze

Bydgoszcz

4

1960

Rome

Jarosława Jóźwiakowska Barbara Janiszewska Teodor Kocerka

Athletics Athletics Rowing

silver bronze bronze

Gdańsk Kraków Szczecin

21

Tokyo

Waldemar Baszanowski Zbigniew Skrudlik Krystyna Czajkowska Krystyna Krupa Jadwiga Marko Jadwiga Rutkowska Zofia Szczęśniewska

Weightlifting Foil team Volleyball Volleyball Volleyball Volleyball Volleyball

gold silver bronze bronze bronze bronze bronze

Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw Gdańsk Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw

23

1964

Olympic Games

29

Otylia Jędrzejczak, AZS AWF Warszawa, 200 metre freestyle gold medallist from Athens, 2004.

Year

Justyna Kowalczyk, cross-country skier of AZS AWF Katowice (since 2003), first Polish Olympic medallist in this discipline.

City

AZS medallists

Discipline

Medal

AZS club

Polish medals in total

1968

Mexico

Waldemar Baszanowski Krystyna Krupa Zofia Szczęśniewska Lidia Żmuda-Chmielnicka Zbigniew Skrudlik Adam Lisewski

Weightlifting Volleyball Volleyball Volleyball Foil team Foil team

gold bronze bronze bronze bronze bronze

Warsaw Gdańsk Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw

18

1972

Munich

Marek Dąbrowski Arkadiusz Godel Antoni Zajkowski

Foil team Foil team Judo

gold gold silver

Warsaw Lublin Warsaw

21

1976

Montreal

Jacek Wszoła Zbigniew Lubiejewski Mirosław Rybaczewski

Athletics Volleyball Volleyball

gold gold gold

Warsaw Olsztyn Olsztyn

26

Moscow

Jacek Wszoła Leszek Dunecki Andrzej Lis Leszek Swornowski Mariusz Strzałka Barbara Wysoczańska Adam Robak

Athletics Athletics Epee team Epee team Epee team Foil individual Foil team

silver silver silver silver silver bronze bronze

Warsaw Warsaw Wrocław Wrocław Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw

32

Barcelona

Adam Krzesiński Cezary Siess Ryszard Sobczak Kajetan Broniewski Maciej Łasicki Tomasz Tomiak

Foil team Foil team Foil team Rowing Rowing Rowing

bronze bronze bronze bronze bronze bronze

Warsaw Gdańsk Gdańsk Warsaw Gdańsk Gdańsk

19

1980

1992

30

Olympic Games

Year

City

AZS medallists

Discipline

Medal

AZS club

Polish medals in total

Atlanta

Paweł Nastula Adam Krzesiński Jarosław Rodzewicz Ryszard Sobczak

Judo Foil team Foil team Foil team

gold silver silver silver

Warsaw Warsaw Gdańsk Gdańsk

17

Sydney

Szymon Ziółkowski Tomasz Kucharski Michał Staniszewski Sylwia Gruchała Magdalena Mroczkiewicz Anna Rybicka Barbara Wolnicka Leszek Blanik

Athletics Rowing Canoe slalom Foil team Foil team Foil team Foil team Gymnastics

gold gold silver silver silver silver silver bronze

Poznań Gorzów Wlkp.

Kraków Gdańsk Gdańsk Gdańsk Gdańsk Gdańsk

14

2004

Athens

Otylia Jędrzejczak Tomasz Kucharski Otylia Jędrzejczak Otylia Jędrzejczak Sylwia Gruchała

Swimming Rowing Swimming Swimming Foil individual

gold gold silver silver bronze

Warsaw Gorzów Wlkp.

Warsaw Warsaw Gdańsk

10

2006

Turin

Justyna Kowalczyk

Cross-country skiing

bronze

Katowice

2

1996

2000

Champion quadruple scull team, from the left: Adam Korol (AZS AWFiS Gdańsk), Marek Kolbowicz (AZS Szczecin), Michał Jeliński (AZS AWF Gorzów Wlkp.) and Konrad Wasielewski (AZS Szczecin).

Olympic Games

31

Karolina Naja, AZS AWF Gorzów Wlkp., Olympic bronze medallist, London 2012.

Tomasz Majewski of AZS AWF Warszawa, double Olympic shot put champion (Beijing 2008 and London 2012).

Year

City

AZS medallists

Discipline

Medal

AZS club

2008

Beijing

Leszek Blanik Tomasz Majewski Michał Jeliński Marek Kolbowicz Adam Korol Konrad Wasielewski Łukasz Pawłowski Paweł Rańda Radosław Zawrotniak Tomasz Motyka Robert Andrzejuk

Gymnastics Athletics Rowing Rowing Rowing Rowing Rowing Rowing Epee team Epee team Epee team

gold gold gold gold gold gold silver silver silver silver silver

Gdańsk Warsaw Gorzów Wlkp.

Szczecin Gdańsk Szczecin Toruń Wrocław Kraków Wrocław Wrocław

10

2010

Vancouver

Justyna Kowalczyk Justyna Kowalczyk Justyna Kowalczyk Luiza Złotkowska

Cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing Speed skating team

gold silver bronze bronze

Katowice Katowice Katowice Zakopane

6

2012

London

Tomasz Majewski Karolina Naja

Athletics Canoeing

gold bronze

Warsaw Gorzów Wlkp.

10

2014

Sochi

Justyna Kowalczyk

Cross-country skiing

gold

Katowice

6

32

Olympic Games

Polish medals in total

World Universiade movement

I

n 1959, under the patronage of International University Sports Federation (FISU), world university sporting event system was launched. The 1st Summer Universiade was held in Turin, Italy, and a year later, in 1960, international competition in winter disciplines got under way in Chamonix, France.

In each subsequent event, the number of participating countries, and thus of contestants, increased significantly, as did the number of sporting disciplines. This demonstrates the significance and the unquestionable role university sports movement plays in sporting rivalry throughout the globe. Well-established in the world of sporting events, by 2015, twenty-seven Winter and twenty-eight Summer Universiades had been held (since 1981, summer and winter editions have been held in the same year).

Poland, which joined FISU in 1959, is represented on the body by the Akademicki Związek Sportowy – the only legally recognised organisation of university sport in the country. In the Universiade events, Polish students have won a total of 476 medals: 159 in winter (47 gold, 56 silver, 56 bronze), and 317 in summer disciplines (87107-123). The only event Poland did not participate in was the 5th Summer Universiade in Tokyo in 1967 (the event was not attended by national university teams from all Communist block countries). It was also only once that the Polish team did not win

World Universiade movement

33

a medal (10th Winter Universiade in Jaca in 1981). The greatest number of medals, on the other hand, Polish athletes collected at the 2013 events: 28th Summer Universiade in Kazan (thirty), and 26th Winter Universiade in Trentino (twenty-three).

Each Universiade had its heroes whose performances not only made entries in their individual CVs, but also made history of Polish university teams, and this of students’ global sporting rivalry. The first gold medallist of the Turin Universiade was the medical student Elżbieta Krzesińska, whose result automatically entered the list of the event records. Several other Summer Universiade multi-medallists or record-holders also made indelible im-

Medals of Polish students at Winter Universiades, 1960–2013 I

Year 1960

City / Country Chamonix FRA

II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV XXVI

1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1975 1978 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

XXVII

2015

Total

34

Gold –

Silver –

Bronze 2

Total 2

Villars SUI Spindlerovy Mlyn TCH Sestriere ITA Innsbruck AUT Rovaniemi FIN Lake Placid USA Livigno ITA Spindlerovy Mlyn TCH Jaca ESP Sofia BUL Belluno ITA Strbske Pleso TCH Sofia BUL Sapporo JPN Zakopane POL Jaca ESP Muju-Chonju KOR Poprad SVK Zakopane POL Tarvisio ITA Innsbruck AUT Turin ITA Harbin CHN Erzurum TUR Trentino ITA

1 1 1 – – 2 – 1 – – – – – – – 1 1 5 8 – 5 7 2 – 10

1 – 4 1 2 1 – 2 – – 3 – 2 – 3 3 – 2 3 1 2 2 4 6 10

1 5 3 – 1 1 2 – – 3 1 1 – 2 2 – – 3 3 3 2 3 8 3 3

3 6 8 1 3 4 2 3 – 3 4 1 2 2 5 4 1 10 14 4 9 12 14 9 23

Štrbské Pleso / Osrblie SVK, Granada ESP

2

4

4

10

47

56

56

159

World Universiade movement

After her initial success in Innsbruck, Katarzyna Wójcicka of AZS Zakopane (2003–2007) won a complete set of medals at the Turin Universiade.

Tomasz Sikora, four-time medallist of the Winter Universiade in Zakopane 2001, 3 gold medals in biathlon – 10 km sprint, 12,5 km and 20 km; bronze in 4 x 7.5 km relay race.

Winner of slalom and giant slalom at the 2001 Universiade, Dagmara Krzyżyńska at a press conference.

Polish university team after the opening ceremony of the 20th Winter Universiade in Tarvisio 2003.

pressions. The largest group were athletes: Irena Kirszenstein-Szewińska (sprints), Grażyna Rabsztyn (hurdles), Małgorzata Guzowska (heptathlon), Robert Korzeniowski (race walking), Władysław Kozakiewicz (pole vault), Ryszard Ostrowski (middle-distance races). In later events, it was Otylia Jędrzejczak (swimming) who made the podium on a number of occasions. The longest-standing Universiade record was this set in Rome in 1975 by the long jumper Grzegorz Cybulski. His jump of 8.27 m was only bettered twenty-two years later by the Cuban Ivan Pedroso (8.40 m) at the 19th Summer Universiade in Sicily.

Polish university teams to participate in Winter Universiades also featured numerous excellent athletes. The list of multi-medallists includes such names, as Tomasz Sikora (biathlon), Justyna Kowalczyk (cross-country skiing), Łukasz Kruczek (ski jumping), Weronika Nowakowska-Ziemniak (biathlon), Andrzej Bachleda-Curuś (Alpine skiing), Krzysztof Wańczyk (cross-country skiing), Konrad Niedźwiedzki (speed skating), Jerzy Woyna-Orlewicz (Alpine skiing), and Katarzyna Wójcicka (speed skating).

Besides medal winners, several other excellent athletes took part in Universiade tournaments in various sporting disciplines.

Many of them, for whom Universiade events marked the beginning of their sporting careers, moved on to participate in the Olympic Games, world or European championships, and, on a number of oc-

Ski jumper Łukasz Kruczek, athlete of AZS AWF Katowice (2001–03), winner of four Universiade gold medals, 2001 national champion, coach of Polish national ski jumping team (2008–16).

Justyna Kowalczyk

World Universiade movement

35

Speed skating champion Konrad Niedźwiedzki. Member of SN PTT Zakopane (1993– –2003), AZS Zakopane (since 2003), student of AWF Kraków.

Opening ceremony of the Universiade in Beijing. The flag bearer is judoka Krzysztof Wiłkomirski.

36

World Universiade movement

casions, their efforts were rewarded with top sporting achievements, incl. Olympic championships.

Representatives of Polish university sport circles have actively worked in and for FISU since the very beginning of its operation. Above all, Poles have been recognised for the matter-of-fact attitude and mediatory skills revealed during talks on the unity and development of world university sport. Our country’s first FISU officials were Prof. Witalis Ludwiczak (AZS Poznań), Ludwik Fischer (AZS Zakopane), and Zdzisław Straszak (AZS Warszawa). In later years, Prof. Bogdan Kołodziejek (AZS Warszawa) and Prof. Aleksander Ronikier (AZS AWF Warsaw) were members of the Executive Committee; Marian Dymalski (AZS Wrocław) has held the post since 2007. Numerous Poles – Władysław Gąsienica Roj (AZS Zakopane), Prof. Stanisław Łęgowski (AZS Toruń), Zofia Kiełpińska (AZS Zakopane, cross-country skiing) – have sat on various FISU committees.

Prof. Zygmunt Przybylski (AZS Poznań) has been a member of the Medical Committee uninterruptedly since 1979; others – Adam Roczek (AZS Wrocław), Tomasz Szponder (AZS Poznań), Andrzej Hrehorowicz (AZS Wrocław), Renata Kościukiewicz-Bojczuk (AZS Warszawa) – have been active on FISU committees since 2007; still others – Piotr Marszał (AZS Wrocław) and Kacper Czarnota (AZS Poznań) – since 2012.

It is worth noting that besides involvement in the Universiade sports movement, Poland has hosted two Winter Universiades (Zakopane, 1993 and 2001). In addition to sporting success, on both occasions the country’s organisational efforts were highly praised by FISU. In 2007, 2009, and 2011 Poland applied for the right to host the Summer Universiade in Poznań. Numerous institutions, as well as several authorities from the world of politics and sport lent their support to the candidacy of the AZS and the town.

Medals of Polish students in Summer Universiades, 1959–2015

For the first time, Polish women’s basketball team won a place on the podium; after defeating the Czech team, they won bronze. Standing from the left: Izabela Piekarska, Katarzyna Czubak, Małgorzata Babicka, Karolina Piotrkiewicz, Maria Jujka, Małgorzata Bibrzycka, Witold Ziółkowski, Justyna Podziemska, Robert Brałko. Kneeling: Justyna Żurowska, Katarzyna Krężel, coach Dariusz Maciejewski, Magdalena Gawrońska, Anna Pamuła, Joanna Zalesiak.

In 2009, the Universiade village was located in the suburb of New Belgrade; it became a thriving town with a population of over 10 thousand. Here, the Polish squad in full strength.

Year

City / Country

I

1959

Turin ITA

Gold 1

Silver Bronze 5

8

Total 14

II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV XXVI XXVII XXVIII Total

1961 1963 1965 1967 1970 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Sofia BUL Porto Alegre BRA Budapest HUN Tokyo JPN* Turin ITA Moscow URS Rome ITA Sofia BUL Mexico MEX Bucarest ROM Edmonton CAN Kobe JPN Zagreb YUG Duisburg FRG Sheffield GBR Buffalo USA Fukuoka JPN Sicilia ITA Palma de Mallorca ESP Beijing CHN Daegu KOR Izmir TUR Bangkok THA Belgrad SRB Shenzhen CHN Kazan RUS Gwangju KOR

3 2 4

4 1 4

4 – 4

11 3 12

3 2 7 3 2 1 1 3 3 1 3 3 – 1 4 3 3 12 2 6 5 5 4 87

1 3 3 6 3 – 2 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 7 4 4 8 5 10 7 9 10 107

5 5 1 4 3 4 1 3 2 2 5 4 4 5 2 1 3 8 9 8 8 16 4 123

9 10 11 13 8 5 4 7 6 4 11 8 7 7 13 8 10 28 16 24 20 30 18 317

* Like all other Communist countries, Poland did not take part in the 5th Universiade (Tokyo 1967).

World Wo W orrlld Universiade Un U niv ive errssiiad ade m mo movement ov ve em me en ntt

37 3 7

World University Championships

T

here have been two main periods in the history of World University Championships. Until 1959, it was the basic formula of international competition, and upon the emergence of the Universiade system, it became a complementary event. The Akademicki Związek Sportowy was a forerunner of the former kind of sporting rivalry: the first competition of the kind was held in Warsaw in 1924. In total, thirteen editions of summer championships were held, the last of which took place in Paris in 1957.

Polish athletes did not participate in the events in Turin (1933), and Paris (1947). Winter sports, too, had their series of events; the first was held in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1928, and eleventh, in which Poland did not participate, in Zell am See in 1959.

In 1956, the championships were organised in Poland: skiing disciplines were held in Zakopane, and ice hockey tournament – in Warsaw. Poland was one of the leading countries to take part in university sports competitions. In total, our athletes won 179 medals – incl. 26 golds – in summer events, and 68 – incl. 21 golds – in winter championships.

38

World University Championships

Antoni Zajkowski, judoka, athlete of Jagiellonia Białystok (1964–68), and later of the Warsaw-based AZS Siobukai Club (1969–78). First Polish Olympic medallist in judo – silver in Munich (1972), bronze in World Championships (1971) and double silver medallist of European championships. Graduate of AWF Warsaw, university teacher, coach at AZS AWF Warszawa.

The 1958 University World Judo Championships held in Beauvallon, France, are considered the first competition of the new series. Initially, the list of disciplines included men’s handball, cross-country, table tennis, cycling, and orienteering. New disciplines were added to the event in the years to follow. In the 1980s, these were rowing, futsal, equestrianism, taekwondo, golf, and sailing; in the 1990s – chess, badminton, triathlon, women’s handball, kayaking, wrestling, squash, archery, karate; and after 2000 – shooting sports, beach volleyball, floorball, bridge, rugby sevens, waterskiing, and boxing.

The sporting effect of the competition is the permanently growing collection of medals – currently drawing close to 500 – won in the majority of the disciplines, in which the Polish team has participated. As AZS clubs run training programmes in judo, rowing, kayaking, sailing, taekwondo, badminton, table tennis, karate, or wrestling, authorities of the association have found our team’s participation in these tournaments a priority. Of all disciplines, these are rowers who have had the greatest share of success: in eleven appearances they have collected seventy-four medals. In recent years, canoeists have launched a successful chase with fifty-four medals in five championship events. Before 2006, judo contestants returned home with trophies from almost every individual and team event; in total, they amassed over forty medals. As the discipline permanently entered the Universiade programme, judo is no longer present on the world championship series.

World University Championships held in Poland deserve particular attention, as the post-1989 period has been truly exceptional. Beforehand, only three times had Polish towns played host to different tournaments. The first, the 1977 handball championships, was held in Warsaw. It was followed by the 1980 judo championships in Wrocław, and the 1984 table tennis event in Gdańsk. The new decade began with cross-country championships in Poznań, and by the end of 2014, Poland had altogether staged twenty-four events, which makes our country one of the most active championship organisers. FISU reports have always highly praised the Poland-based events, which proved helpful in the bidding process to organise subsequent tournaments.

Polish team at the 4th World University Cross Country Championships, Antwerp, 1984. From the right: Dariusz Kaczmarski, Janusz Rewczuk, coach Honorat Wiśniewski. Piotr Gruszczyński is holding the sign.

In 1984, AWF Gdańsk was host to World University Table Tennis Championships. On the right: Andrzej Grubba (1958–2005), medallist of the event, and a leading table tennis player of the 1980s.

World University ty y Cha Championships h mp pio ions ons nshi hips

39

World University Championships held in Poland 1977–2014

7th University Rowing Championships in Nottingham, England, 22–24 August 2002. Gold medallists men’s double scull: Michał Jeliński of AZS AWF Gorzów Wlkp. (on the left), and Adam Wojciechowski of AZS AWF Poznań.

Polish university team at World University Judo Championships in Suwon, Korea, 14–17 December 2006. Bronze medal winners in men’s team event: Artur Kłys, Krzysztof Wiłkomirski, Łukasz Bałanda, Krzysztof Węglarz and Kamil Panek.

40

World University Championships

No.

Year

Discipline

Location

1.

1977

7th World University Men’s Handball Championships

Warsaw

2.

1980

6th World University Judo Championships

Wrocław

3.

1984

6th World University Table Tennis Championships

Gdańsk

4.

1990

6th World University Cross-Country Championships

Poznań

5.

1992

3rd World University Rowing Championships

Poznań

6.

1998

3rd World University Women’s Handball Championships

Wrocław

7.

2000

4th World University Rowing Championships

Poznań

8.

2002

14th World University Table Tennis Championships

Wrocław

9.

2002

7th World University Badminton Championships

Kraków

10.

2002

4th World University Canoe Slalom Championships

Kraków

11.

2004

6th World University Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Championships

Łódź

12.

2006

18th World University Men’s and Women’s Handball Championships

Gdańsk

13.

2006

10th World University Futsal Championships

Poznań

14.

2006

5th World University Canoe Slalom Championships

Kraków

15.

2008

4th World University Bridge Championships

Łódź

16.

2008

6th World University Karate Championships

Wrocław

17.

2008

4th World University Match Racing Championships

Gdańsk

18.

2010

4th World University Canoe Sprint Championships

Poznań

19.

2010

2nd World University Shooting Sport Championships

Wrocław

20.

2012

18th World University Cross-Country Championships

Łódź

21.

2012

1st World University Speed Skating Championships

22.

2014

10th World University Archery Championships

Legnica

23.

2014

6th World University Cycling Championships

Jelenia Góra

24.

2014

13th World University Chess Championships

Katowice

Zakopane

18th University Handball Championships, Gdańsk, 1–9 July 2006. In the final, Polish women handballers (coach Jerzy Ciepliński) defeated the Hungarian university team (26:21). The Universiade “Złotka” (Goldies) (upper row, from the left): Gabriela Kornacka, Marta Goraj, Adrian Klarecki (physio), Anna Musiał, Lucyna Wilanowska, Małgorzata Sadowska; below: Edyta Chudzik, Agnieszka Tyda, Dorota Malczewska, Joanna Sawicka, Wioletta Serwa, Daria Bołromiuk, Izabela Zwiewka.

6th University Bridge Championships,

World Wo W orlld University Univ Un ive er rsi rsi sity ty C Championships ha h am mp p9–16 iio on nssJuly hiip h hips ps s 41 4 1 Rheims, France, 2012

European Cooperation

I

nitiated in 1924, the AZS’ activity on the European level continued after World War II. It was already in the 1950s that teams from friendly European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Yugoslavia, German Democratic Republic, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Hungary, Union of Socialist Soviet Republics) were invited to participate in Polish University Championships. After 1989, new, mainly neighbourly contacts were established with Germany, Ukraine and Belarus. Naturally, these were based on joint sporting events. The first was the German-Polish athletics championships held in Cottbus in 1992. In the years to follow, it was in this very discipline that Polish-Belarusian (Biała Podlaska, 1994), Polish-German (Wrocław, 1996) and Polish-Ukrainian (Biała Podlaska, 2000) championships were held. Throughout the 1990s, annual judo, chess and fencing events were held in the Polish-German partnership formula.

Development of Poland’s contacts with Ukraine resulted in establishment of formal collaboration, and the Federation of University Sports of Ukraine became official partner to the AZS (agreement was signed in Lwów in 2006). The goals of the adopted programme included organisation of joint sport undertakings, promotion of collaboration between schools and students from both countries, as well as efforts to support and advance European integration.

Attended each time by ca. 150 students from either country, ten University Volleyball Festivals were held between 2002 and 2013. The events were alternately organised

42

European Cooperation

in both countries – Ternopil (2002), Zamość (2004), Lutsk (2006), Jarosław (2007), Odessa (2008), Krosno (2009), Lwów (2010), Biała Podlaska (2011), Chernivtsi (2012), and Częstochowa (2013) – with University of Business and Enterprise from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and University of Economics from Ternopil enjoying the greatest number of appearances. Furthermore, Ukrainian students took part in athletic (Kraków, Biała Podlaska), swimming (Wrocław) and futsal tournaments held in Poland. Joint organisation of Euro 2012 Football Cup became a stimulus to expand the range of cooperation. In years 2010–2013, a series of Student Euro football events was held. In 2010, tournaments were held in the Ukrainian Euro towns (Donetsk, Kharkov, Lwów and Kiev), and in 2011, in their Polish counterparts (Gdańsk, Poznań, Wrocław, Warsaw). The event continued in 2012 (Kiev) and 2013 (Kraków), when women’s competition was added. Each edition ended with Polish-Ukrainian medal matches.

Another step was Polish-Ukrainian chess tournament. Initiated in Lublin in 2012, the event continued a year later in Lwów, and in Katowice in 2014. Uncertain political situation in Ukraine led to cancellation of joint events scheduled in this country. Instead, in 2014, the AZS organised a multi-discipline festival in Białystok attended by six Polish and six Ukrainian mixed university teams (ca. 300 persons in total). A year later, side by side with Ukrainian universities, students from Romania and Slovakia were invited to take part in the sporting event held in Rzeszów.

The regional cooperation policy followed by the AZS gained additional impetus in the late-1990s, when on FISU initiative, European University Sports Association (EUSA) had been established at a constitutive meeting in Vienna (November 1999). AZS representatives were among the most active participants of the meeting attended by delegations from twenty-five countries. European Championships in university team category were scheduled to get under way in 2001.

The EUSA championship formula changed in 2012. At present, European Universities Games are organised biannually (alternately with individual championships in particular disciplines). During the event (whose first edition was held in Cordoba), competitions in several disciplines are held in one town. One of the bidders to organise the 2014 games – eventually awarded to Rotterdam – was Wrocław.

Opening of StudentEuro in Donetsk, 2010.

wydanie specjalne

Ministerstwo Sportu i Turystyki Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej

European Cooperation

43

Polish universities debuted in European tournaments in 2003.

AWF Warsaw women’s team and the University of Warsaw men’s team took part in the 3rd European University Volleyball Championships in Maribor. And what a successful debut it was: coached

by Andrzej Ojrzanowski, the woman’s team was only defeated by Rome University in the final (1:3); of the twelve teams in the men’s competition, our team came 6th. That same year, players of the Agricultural Academy from Lublin debuted in the European University Basketball Championships in Novi Sad; in the 9th place game, they beat the Technical University of Lisbon (76:74).

Only a year later, did AWFiS Gdańsk women’s volleyball team win the first gold medals (indoors and on the beach). In later years, Polish students competed in an ever greater number of disciplines, and always returned home with medals (altogether, over 300). AZS athletes have claimed close to forty places on the podium in team Polish table tennis players have won almost 70 EUC medals.

Volleyball players of the University of Warsaw – EUSA best photo of 2012, © Anna Gumowska.

44

European Cooperation

Medals won by Poland at EUC and EUG by discipline 2003–2015 Discipline Volleyball women

Medals won by Poland at EUC and EUG 2003–2015

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Year

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

3

1

2

2003

0

1

0

1

Volleyball men

0

2

3

2004

2

3

6

11

Basketball women

3

5

0

2005

7

6

13

26

Basketball men

0

0

2

2006

4

3

6

13

2

3

5

10

Handball women

7

2

0

2007

Handball men

0

0

1

2008

16

11

12

39

27

12

5

44

Football women

1

0

2

2009

Football men

0

1

0

2010

16

6

14

36

Futsal women

1

0

0

2011

8

7

16

31

Futsal men

0

0

3

2012*

3

5

10

18

Table tennis women

2

4

7

2013

12

9

9

30

Table tennis women*

5

4

10

2014**

3

5

8

16

Table tennis men

4

1

5

2015

8

15

12

35

Table tennis men*

3

5

13

Table tennis women + men*

3

1

2

Tennis women

0

2

5

Tennis men

2

2

1

Badminton

4

1

2

Badminton*

16

11

17

Beach volleyball women

1

2

3

Beach volleyball men

5

3

1

Rowing*

36

28

21

Rowing

5

1

2

Karate*

3

4

10

Bridge

2

2

2

Bridge*

1

0

1

Taekwondo*

0

1

0

Sport climbing women*

0

1

0

Sport climbing men*

1

0

0

Chess women

0

1

0

Chess men

0

0

1

Chess women*

0

1

0

* individual events

* 1st European Universities Games, Cordoba 2012 ** 2nd European Universities Games, Rotterdam 2014

Women’s handballers of WSSP Lublin with the first of their six gold medals, which they won in Serbia in 2008.

European Cooperation

45

Poland’s clean sweep: European Universities Beach Volleyball Championships, Cyprus 2015.

In 2012, deputy chairman of AZS, Adam Roczek (in the middle), was elected President of EUSA.

sports, with some winning streaks (still) lasting for several years. So far, we have not been able to win a medal only in judo, golf, 3x3 basketball, and rugby.

To date, Poland has organised twenty-two EUC events. We have also hosted EUSA Aesthetic Gymnastics Cup (Wrocław, 2009), as well as EUSA Executive Committee meetings (Wrocław 2005, and Warsaw 2011). In terms of the number of EUSA events organised, we are one of the most active countries in Europe. In 2017, we have been awarded organisation of European University Volleyball Championships (25 June – 2 July, Rzeszów).

With view to organisational efforts and achieved results, the AZS has been awarded several EUSA prizes for the most active federation. Besides these, we are also proud of our delegates on various bodies of the European University Sports Association. For years, Adam Roczek performed the function of EUSA’s Sports Manager, and Jakub Kosowski – this of EUSA’s Auditors Commission’s member. At present, Tomasz Aftański (futsal) and Andrzej Hrehorowicz (table tennis) are technical delegates, and Piotr Marszał – vice-president of EUSA’s Technical Commission. AZS members are also active on the Student (Katarzyna Czalej, and earlier Magdalena Wołowiec), and Media and Communication Commissions (Michał Filarski).

46

European Cooperation

European University Championships held in Poland in years 2004–2015 No.

Year

Discipline

1.

2004

1st European University Badminton Championships

Location Kraków

2.

2004

2nd European University Men’s Football Championships

Wrocław

3.

2005

2nd European University Karate Championships

Wrocław

4.

2005

5th European University Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships

Gorzów Wlkp.

5.

2007

2nd European University Men’s and Women’s Handball Championships

Łódź

6.

2008

5th European University Men’s Futsal Championships

Wrocław

7.

2008

5th European University Badminton Championships

Kraków

8.

2009

6th European University Tennis Championships

Poznań

9.

2009

6th European University Men’s and Women’s Beach Volleyball Championships

Gdynia

10.

2009

5th European University Rowing Championships

Kruszwica

11.

2009

7th European University Men’s and Women’s Football Championships

Wrocław

12.

2010

10th European University Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships

Poznań

13.

2010

8th European University Men’s and Women’s Football Championships

Warsaw

14.

2010

10th European University Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Championships

Warsaw

15.

2011

2nd European University Bridge Championships

Warsaw

16.

2013

8th European University Rowing Championships

Poznań

17.

2013

7th European University Handball Championships

18.

2015

10th European University Men’s and Women’s Futsal Championships

19.

2015

10th European University Badminton Championships

Warsaw

20.

2015

4th European University Bridge Championships

Warsaw

21.

2015

10th European University Tennis Championships

Wrocław

22.

2015

1st European University Sport Climbing Championships

Katowice

Katowice Poznań

2012 EUSA Games, Cordoba, Spain, 12–23 July

European Cooperation

47

Higher schools’ sports competition 1961–2015

I

n September 1960, establishment of a centralised event, the Universities Championships, was announced. Zbigniew Dzik, sports activist, AZS Central Board staff member, and one of the event’s originators, remembers: After tournaments at university and provincial level, these were meant to provide a conspicuous picture of the real standard and range of the Association’s sporting activity at higher schools. Initially, the volleyball (men’s and women’s teams), basketball (men’s teams) and athletic events were only intended for universities, polytechnics, schools of agriculture, and medical academies. Objectives of the championships were set:  To carry out a review of sporting-educational and organisational work of AZS University Clubs, as well as of schools’ Physical Education and Sports Departments.  To verify the sporting level and determine champions at particular types of schools according to a uniform tournament system.  To promote sport to students.

Held in two-year cycles, which was enforced by the cost and organisational issues, the championships system got under way in 1961. Universities (8 schools), polytechnics (10 schools), medical academies (10 schools), and higher pedagogical colleges (4 schools) competed in four disciplines: volleyball, basketball, athletics, and handball. It was a successful opening; thanks to the efforts of ca. 150 activists, organisation of the championships in all disciplines was exemplary. Attractive organisational forms were employed, and several new ideas introduced. Greeted at the station with flowers and offered small gifts,

48

Higher schools’ sports

the visiting teams were assigned guides, and had meetings, trips and dances organised for them. School rectors took keen interest in the course of the championships. Together, 2060 contestants (incl. 778 women) took part in the finals. The programme comprising 3–4 disciplines was considered adequate. It was decided that although championships finals in different disciplines should be held in different towns, men’s and women’s events should not be split.

In 1965, for the first time Volleyball, Basketball, and Handball Championships of Champions were held in Wrocław. Teams to have won the competition at different types of higher schools competed for the title.

Ten years on, in 1971, a much greater number of schools took part in the 6th Championships: higher teacher education and pedagogical schools (12), higher schools of engineering and higher maritime schools (11), medical academies (10), higher schools of economics (5), higher schools of agriculture (7), polytechnics (10), universities (10), higher schools of physical education (6), higher art schools (6). Shooting sport, skiing, and artistic gymnastics were added to the list of disciplines, and organiser rating was introduced.

Winners of the latter were:  Higher School of Engineering in Opole – organiser of basketball championships  Gdańsk Technical University – organiser of volleyball championships  Gdańsk University – organiser of basketball championships

Higher H Hi igh ghe err schools’ sc ch ho oo ols ol ls’ sp ssports por orttss

49 4 9

Year of discipline inclusion in championship series Volleyball Basketball Athletics Handball men Handball women Swimming Table tennis Judo men Alpine skiing Football Shooting sport Artistic gymnastics Rowing Sailing Equestrianism Badminton Tennis Karate Bridge Cross-country racing Judo women Chess Futsal Powerlifting Indoor rowing Street basket Sport aerobics Cross-country skiing Sport climbing Mountain biking Beach volleyball Snowboard Windsurfing

50

Higher schools’ sports

1961 1961 1961 1961 1963 1963 1963 1971 1971 1971 1971 1971 1973 1973 1976 1980 1982 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1990 1992 1996 1996 1996 1996 1998 1998 1998 2000 2004



Higher School of Agriculture in Olsztyn – organiser of athletic championships Higher School of Economics in Wrocław – organiser of athletic championships  Silesian Medical Academy in Rokitnica – organiser of skiing championships  Higher Teacher Education School in Szczecin – organiser of handball championships.

In years to follow, new disciplines, such as cross-country racing, sailing, or equestrianism, were added to the competition programme. In 1993, Łódź saw the first university athletic championships held jointly for all types of higher schools. The size/ Significance of the event, the high level of competition, direct confrontation of best sportsmen and women from different types of schools proved decisive, and organisation of joint athletic championships was adopted as a permanent solution (later followed by other disciplines).

After 1996, the then newly-established private higher schools, teacher training colleges, and state higher vocational schools joint the competition. At the time, twenty-seven disciplines made up the championship series.

The record-breaking 23rd University Championships held in years 2004-2006 featured 219 schools competing in forty-four disciplines. 179 teams took part in the men’s futsal, 127 in beach volleyball, and 76 in women’s swimming tournaments. 

The unprecedented 1800 sportsmen and women took part in the athletic championships held in May 2005. That edition wrapped up the two-year competition cycle; subsequent championships were already held annually. A system of qualifier events was gradually introduced in the most popular disciplines.

Held in the academic year 2007/2008, the 25th Championships concluded the almost fifty-year period of inter-university competition organised by the AZS. In conclusions and summary analyses, the system was acknowledged as a very universal mechanism for building AZS structures at higher education establishments, one which not only inspired institution of AZS clubs at particular schools, but also contributed to scheduling permanent activities at sport sections, as well as finding the best training and organisational solutions.

The championships proved a major impulse to strike up collaboration between schools’ physical education and sport departments, and AZS clubs. Recognition of the championships as an element of higher schools’ curricular activity was an important development, as it enabled schools to finance this aspect of the Association’s operation.

Based on the results achieved in the twenty-five editions of university championships (and on consideration of the various changes to have taken place in the Polish higher schooling system, like modifications to educational profile, school mergers, etc.), summary analyses of competition in particular types of schools were made, and thus ranking lists of the best schools compiled.

Higher Hi H ig gh her er schools’ sch cho oo ollss’ sp ssports po orrttss

51 5 1

Universities: 1. Warsaw, 2. Poznań, 3. Gdańsk.

Technical Universities: 1. Warsaw, 2. Gdańsk, 3. Wrocław. Medical Academies: 1. Poznań, 2. Białystok, 3. Gdańsk. Higher Schools of Economics: 1. Warsaw, 2. Poznań, 3. Wrocław. Higher Schools of Agriculture: 1. Olsztyn, 2. Warsaw, 3. Poznań.

Since the 2008/2009 academic year, sporting rivalry between universities has been held in the formula of the Academic Championships of Poland, whose system, as well as the rules and regulations are uniform for all schools and AZS clubs.

The centenary of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy, which fell in this period, constituted a very special backdrop for the 26th Championships. Tournaments were held in forty disciplines, and 220 schools, incl. as many as 102 non-public higher education establishments, entered competition. Med-

52

Higher schools’ sports

ical universities, which did not accept solutions adopted by the AZS, and established their own system of championship events in certain disciplines, were present only in a symbolic way. With teams representing 183 schools, the futsal tournament enjoyed a record-breaking attendance. Altogether, 2195 teams took part in the qualifiers and finals. With the championship tournaments under way, yet another record, this time of the number of persons (over 1000 daily) to access the webpage of the Academic Championships of Poland, was broken. In a number of disciplines, these were members of national and Olympic teams who competed in the tournaments. The swimmers Paulina Barzycka (University of Life Sciences in Lublin), and Aleksandra Urbańczyk (Łódź University) were among multi-medallists of the event. For the first time in history, games (handball) were held outside Poland (Cesky Tesin, Czech Republic). Official assessment of the national Academic Championships was held underground, at reception halls of Wieliczka Salt Mine, and formed a part of the Academic Sporting Year opening ceremony (which, at the same time, closed the AZS Centenary celebrations).

In the 2009/2010 academic year, regional inter-university league tournaments organised by local AZS units in such disciplines as futsal, volleyball and basketball were included in the qualifier system. E-Madzia electronic application system became mandatory, which effectively helped to coordinate the application procedure in all AZSrun tournaments. To facilitate publicity, event organisers were provided with relevant equipment and promotional carriers, such as tents, gates, flags, and banners. 174 higher schools were ranked.

The following year, 201 schools took part in seventy-nine championship events attended by 14,999 athletes. Top Polish swimmer Paweł Korzeniowski once again won medals for Leon Koźmiński Academy from Warsaw, this time at an event held in Katowice. The Olympian Jagna Marczułajtis entered the snowboard event in AWF Katowice colours. In the skiing slalom, an unusual situation happened, as two contestants, Jakub Ilewicz and Mateusz Garniewicz, finished with the same result of 35.60, and

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both were awarded gold. The eleven medals won by students of AWF Katowice in the judo event gave them the team championship in the women’s, and the 2nd place in the men’s category.

This time, the official assessment of the Academic Championships of Poland was made at a ceremonial Gala held in Poznań in October 2012. Alpine skiing championships on Mount Harenda in Zakopane had a record attendance with 560 contestants representing sixty-four schools. The winners were Karolina Klimek (AWF Kraków), and Mateusz Garniewicz (Poznań University of Technology). With over 1200 contestants, the athletic championships held in Bydgoszcz in May 2012 were once again the event with the largest number of participants. In the points table of the Championships, the University of Warsaw came first for the third time in a row, ahead of AGH University of Science and Technology from Kraków, and Adam Mickiewicz University from Poznań. Leon Koźmiński Academy from Warsaw was ranked at the top of the medal table.

On completion of the 2012/2013 championship season, schools to lead the points table met at a cer-

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emony in Lublin. For the first time in history, it was AGH University of Science and Technology from Kraków that took the top position on the podium, ahead of Warsaw and Poznań Universities. Trophies were presented by the Minister of Sport and Tourism Joanna Mucha.

The following championships abounded in sporting and organisational events worthy of attention. Judo and swimming events were held as single competitions without qualifiers. The best of the over 1000 contestants who competed at the “Termy Maltańskie” Watersport Centre in Poznań was the three-time gold medallist Tomasz Polewka (AWF Katowice). This school also topped the team table in the judo event, which was attended by 300 athletes, as well as took the entire podium in women’s beach volleyball. The gold medallists of the football tournament, play-

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ers of Gdańsk University of Technology, owe their victory to their penalty-shooting skills. With only one tournament victory, they won all the remaining games on penalties. The top four places in the basketball championships fell to university teams, with the University of Warsaw winning the tournament for the first time in years. At the closing ceremony of the season held in Katowice, the University of Warsaw returned to the top spot in the country, ahead of Maria Skłodowska-Curie University from Lublin, and Adam Mickiewicz University from Poznań.

There was little change among top schools fighting for supremacy in the 2014/2015 season; from the very beginning, teams to lead the competition persistently rivalled for the final success.

From a certain moment, these were only the University of Warsaw and AGH University of Science and Technology from Kraków that remained in the contest. It was a very close race, with the difference within 5-point range. Eventually, Kraków prevailed by a single point. This time, the assessment of the Academic Championships of Poland and the award ceremony were held in Łódź.

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The Media “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” (University Sports Review) With its roots in the interwar period of the 20th century, “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy”, organ of AZS Warszawa, was a supplement to “Bunt Młodych” magazine published

by Jerzy Giedroyć. The first issue came out on 3 May 1933; the front-page editorial read: Our aim is to gradually arrive at a most easy and popular form in order to inform the readers in a non-obtrusive, precise and regular way about the AZSs course of work. At the same time, we open up opportunities for all those who are – one way or another – interested in the matter, to express their views on any area of sport. Eight issues were printed, and one might label it an ephemeral publication, had it not been for the mission delineated in the journal, which was so relevant and motivating that the periodical’s publication was resumed under the same title in the post-war period.

The first edition of the magazine published as internal bulletin was released in 1960.

This is how the responsibilities facing the editorial team were defined in the first, September issue: To improve the system of imparting information about the work and situation of all AZS units, to establish a convenient platform for sharing experience between clubs. Altogether, sixty-one issues were released, incl. a number of special editions. It was already in 1962 that persons to collaborate with the editorial team concealed themselves under the collective name of editorial board, while articles carried names of people who would later became well-known sports journalists, such as Witold Duński, Jacek Żemantowski, or Artur Jaroszewski. The periodical’s formula remained unchanged until 1971.

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In July 1981, “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” became organ of the AZS Central Board, as well as workshop publication for students of the Faculty of Journalism at the University of Silesia in Katowice. The magazine had the form of a newspaper. The intention behind the enterprise was … through attractive form and by addressing issues vital for academic sport to reach a larger group of readers. Adam Miszta was the editor-in-chief, and the masthead lists such names among members of the editorial team, as Ewa Pióro, Jerzy Dusik, Leszek Sobieraj, Andrzej Słodkowski or Jerzy Zimnik in the capacity of consultant. Between 1981 and 1986, a total of forty-two issues of the 6-8-page A3-sized journal were published with circulation of up to 3000 copies.

“Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” followed operation of the AZS: the periodical presented the Association’s greatest successes, both on the level of the central bodies, and on this of its smallest units, as well as presented materials to document their history. The magazine’s Plebiscyt na Najpopularniejszych Sportowców i Trenerów AZS (The Most Popular AZS Athlete and Coach Poll), or the Złoty Gryf (Golden Griffin) athletic challenge considerably contributed to promoting a number of sportsmen and women.

Poland’s deepening economic and social crisis in the latter half of the 1980s adversely affected the organisational formula of the “workshop publication” issued by students of the University of Silesia. In 1986, after a six-month break, editorial work on “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” returned to Warsaw. Initially, it was Witold “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” (University Sports Review), no. 3, 15 July 1933 Duński who managed the editorial tam, while Halina Hanusz was appointed editorial assistant. In March 1987, Bartłomiej Korpak was appointed editor. Limited amounts of paper, various restrictions, censorship, permanent organisational and financial difficulties exerted negative influence both on circulation, and on editorial quality. The magazine returned to the A5 size of the 1960s and 70s. Between 1986 and 1991, forty-two issues of the periodical were published with circulation ranging from 500 to 1000 copies. The photographer Grzegorz Skrzypczak, as well as graphic designers Marcin Jadach and Maja Ambroziewicz were among the permanent collaborators at the time. In 1991, want of technical resources combined with withholding of state subsidy resulted in suspending the operation.

The pause in the publication of “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” did not last long. In 1992, hospitality offered by Higher School of Engineering in Zielona Góra, and efforts taken by the excellent team of students headed by Bogusław Wontor, made it possible for the magazine to resume publication. The school’s printing plant took care of the technical and printing side. With changed layout and size (A4), the 12-page journal had a circulation of 1000 copies. The deck Biuletyn Zarządu Głównego AZS (Bulletin of AZS Central Board) returned. A new group of young sport-journalism enthusiasts began collaboration with the periodical. Among them, Marek Skowronek, Agnieszka Starosta, Radosław Pietruszka, Piotr Kuś, Krystyna Romanowska, Artur Brzozowski, Anna Strycharzewska, Robert Kaczanowski, or Tomasz Jankowski; many still work for various national media.

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In January 1996, “Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” was published with new artwork and colour front page as Miesięcznik Zarządu Głównego AZS (AZS Central Board Monthly).

At the time, the list of people to collaborate with the magazine included Ewa Spaczyńska, Jan Krynicki, Marcin Lesiak, Wojciech Krasucki, or Tomasz Kosek. By 2000, sixty issues of the periodical had been published.

Devised and organised by Halina Hanusz with the help of student groups throughout the country, editorial meetings known as journalism “workshops,” greatly contributed to expanding the circle of “APS’” correspondents. A similar undertaking, the so-called practical workshops, consisted in daily publication of the “APS Wydanie Specjalne” (APS Special Edition) during Academic Championships of Poland in Team Sports (since 1996), as well as during World University Championships, Summer and Winter Universiades, or the 2008 FISU Forum in Kraków. Since the 1998/1999 academic year, the “APS” editorial team has been awarding the “Zielone Pióro” (Green Pen) Prize.

In 2001, the magazine got a new, colour layout. In 2002, the technical aspect and printing were entrusted to the Kraków-based publisher FALL. In 2004, following workshop discussions, subsequent editions of the periodical featured the so-called Regional Issues. A new group of journalists brought in a number of written-word enthusiasts: Tomasz Aftański (Gdańsk), Katarzyna Bindek (Poznań), Maciej Hartfil (Warsaw), Iwona Komuda (Warsaw), Agnieszka Kopacz (Kielce), Paweł Kowalski (Bydgoszcz), Andrzej Olszewski (Kraków), Katarzyna Rutkowska (Lublin), Paweł Surynowicz (Białystok), or Agata Adamczyk, and Kamil Siałkowski (Zielona Góra/Gorzów Wlkp.). To facilitate distribution, boxes marked Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy are set up at school facilities.

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In 2006, “APS” celebrated in Kraków the 20th anniversary of the journal’s return from Katowice to Warsaw. In 2008 (8th issue), a new title logotype appears on the front page.

In years to follow, interesting local university-sport undertakings contributed to expanding regional issues in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Łódzkie, Małopolskie, Pomorskie, Podlaskie, Śląskie, Świętokrzyskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, and Wielkopolskie Provinces. The rule that “APS” correspondents are students and members of the AZS, is still consistently observed. By 2016, a total of 331 editions of the magazine had been issued.

“Akademicki Przegląd Sportowy” offers a comprehensive overview of the current needs and potential of the Association. It presents the most important university sport events on the global, European and national level, as well as interesting undertakings of intra-organisational character. Since 2006, electronic version of the periodical has been available in on www.azs.pl.

www.azs webpages At the Akademicki Związek Sportowy, we also use electronic media. Besides the main webpage www.azs.pl, we also run the page www.ampy.pl dedicated to particular games and tournaments. All AZS organisational units operate their own Internet pages.

AZS is present on Facebook (facebook.com/naszAZS) and on Twitter (twitter.com/ AZS_ZG). Materials of the Associations’ Internet TV (under development) can be viewed on our Youtube channels.

First AZS internet portal, www.azs.pl, started in 1999

Refreshed version of the web page

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AZS Centenary Celebrations

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 16 December 2007 POZNAŃ 22nd Assembly of Akademicki Związek Sportowy obliged AZS authorities of all levels to organise AZS Centenary celebrations at national and provincial level in the 2008/2009 academic year.

12 March 2008 WARSAW The AZS Central Board appointed AZS Centenary Organising Committee headed by Tomasz Szponder, Deputy Chairman of the AZS Central Board.

15 April 2008 WARSAW The first meeting of the Organising Committee of AZS Centenary celebrations was held at the Business Centre Club office in Aleje Ujazdowskie. The meeting was attended by Marian Dymalski (Wrocław), Zbigniew Lipczyński (Szczecin), Aleksander Pyć (Łódź), Leszek M. Rouppert (Lublin), and, standing from left: Kazimierz Trybalski (Kraków), Bartłomiej Korpak (Warsaw), Marek Ogrodniczek (Rzeszów), Tomasz Szponder (Head of the Committee, Poznań), Janusz Rybicki (Gdańsk), Halina Hanusz (Secretary to the Committee, Warsaw), Stanisław Łęgowski (Toruń), Ryszard Wryk (Poznań), and Tomasz Krasucki (Warsaw).

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12 June 2008 KRAKÓW A meeting of AZS Central Board was held at the Rector’s Conference Hall at the Kraków University of Technology.

The meeting saw the establishment of the Honorary Committee of the celebrations, which are held under honorary patronage of the Polish President Lech Kaczyński.

The centenary year of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy is a source of joy and pride for the entire university sport community, said Prof. Marek Rocki.

30 June 2008 KRAKÓW A competition for AZS Centenary celebrations poster was adjudicated. The 1st Prize was awarded to Klaudia Sroka, student of Graphic Art Faculty at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków (first from left). The 2nd Prize went to Aleksandra Dyras of Graphic Art Faculty at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków and Faculty of Health Sciences of Collegium Medicum at Jagiellonian University (above, on the right). Sabina Szałajko, student of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, was awarded a distinction (below, on the right).

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1–6 July 2008 KRAKÓW Opening ceremony of 9th FISU Forum at the Auditorium Maximum of Jagiellonian University marked the beginning of anniversary celebrations. The meeting was attended by FISU President George E. Killian and delegates of forty-seven international university sport federations.

Addressing the 160 attendees, in his initial speech Korzenie sportu akademickiego w Polsce (The Roots of University Sport in Poland), Prof. Marek Rocki, Chairman of AZS Central Board, said: Dear Friends!

Welcome to Poland, welcome to Kraków! The centenary of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy is a major celebration of university sport in Poland, and a splendid opportunity for Kraków to play host to FISU authorities and delegates of university sport federations from all over the world.

I wish to extend my gratitude to George Killian and Claude Gallien for the opportunity to jointly celebrate the centenary right here, in the royal town of Kraków. May we all share the magic of yester years.

The Kraków inauguration of the 9th FISU Forum was accompanied by the opening of Nasz AZS (Our AZS) exhibition by Robert Gawkowski: I have thought up a tale of our common tradition, of our greatest heroes, of our daily reality, and of the most important championships, sports and training facilities, etc.

Prof. Marek Rocki, Chairman of AZS Central Board, officially opened the exhibition.

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26–28 September 2008 CZĘSTOCHOWA Attended by ca. one hundred persons, the 1st meeting of AZS Senior Member Groups was held. During a ceremonial mass held at the Chapel of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of the Jasna Gora Sanctuary, Archbishop Stanisław Nowak, who concelebrated the service, drew attention in his homily to the universal values inherent to sport. As part of the meeting, a session dedicated to various aspects of documenting AZS history was held at the Senate Hall of Jan Długosz Academy.

18 October 2008 GDAŃSK A ceremonial opening of AZS anniversary academic year was held at the Artus Court. The meeting was attended by ca. 200 people: delegates of AZS central authorities, university representatives invited to Gdańsk to a summary meeting of Polish University Championships, members of the celebrations’ Honorary Committee, and members of Tricity (Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot) university community. Janusz Rybicki, Chairman of AZS Gdańsk Provincial Authority, presented a report on Wkład środowiska akademickiego Trójmiasta w historyczny dorobek AZS (Contribution of Tricity University Community to the Body of AZS’ Historical Achievements). In recognition of the contribution to the development of sport, Jan Kozłowski, Head of the Pomeranian Province Self-Government, awarded the AZS with the Gryf Pomorski (Pomerad nian Griffin) Prize. Marek Kolbowicz and Konrad Wasielewski (both of AZS Szczecin), two mem-bers of the “gold” rowing crew from the Beijingg Olympics, received the AZS Złoty Gryf (Golden Griffin) Prize. AZS Gdańsk was honoured with a distinction of the “Czerwona Róża” (Red Rose) Association. The publication Sport i indeks w życiorysie (Sport and Student Record Book on the CV), dedicated to people who made AZS Gdańsk history, was officially presented.

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6 November 2008 WARSAW The Akademicki Związek Sportowy was awarded Demes 2008 Sport Business Prize during 7th Sport Marketing Days.

On behalf of the AZS, the award was collected at the Gala ceremony by the Beijing Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski.

11 November 2008 WARSAW One hundred runners wearing AZS colours took part in the 20th Independence Race. Besides flags and T-shirts to mark the occasion, Akademicki Związek Sportowy Centenary celebrations were promoted during the event.

6 December 2008 WARSAW During a session of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland held at the University of Warsaw of Life Sciences, AZS delegates Dariusz Piekut, Deputy Chairman of the Central Board, and Bartłomiej Korpak, Secretary General, ran a presentation on AZS Centenary. Schools to occupy prominent positions in university tournaments were honoured, as were those with outstanding athletes, Olympic and world championship medallists, on their roll. The AZS presented the Conference executive body with Stanowisko w sprawie rozwoju sportu i wychowania fizycznego w szkołach wyższych (Position on the Development of Sport and Physical Education in Higher Schools).

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19 February 2009 HARBIN, CHINA During the Winter Universiade in China, a formal meeting, the so-called Polish Day, was held to mark the AZS Centenary and to promote Poland and Poznań as a prospective venue for the Summer Universiade. The meeting was hosted by the Polish Ambassador to China, Krzysztof Szumski.

The Polish delegation included Chairman of the Municipal Council of the Town of Poznań Grzegorz Ganowicz, Deputy Mayor of Poznań Maciej Frankiewicz, Deputy Chairwoman of Polish Olympic Committee and IOC member Irena Szewińska, as well as members of the AZS authorities: Tomasz Szponder, Witold Zimny, Marian Dymalski, and Bartłomiej Korpak. The list of guests featured FISU President George E. Killian, members of FISU Executive Committee, China’s Minister of Education Prof. Zhang Xinsheng, authorities of the Heilongjiang province, as well as delegates of all teams to participate in the Universiade tournaments, a total of 250 people. In his welcome address, Ambassador Szumski reminded the guests that Harbin had been the most “Polish”

town in China, as at the turn of the 19th and 20th century it was inhabited by over seven thousand Poles who built the East China Railway from Vladivostok to Dalien. Referring to the anniversary, Tomasz Szponder, the chef de mission at the Universiade, said: It was a hundred years filled with illustrious success achieved by Polish students, but also a century of duty and service rendered by the AZS to ordinary students so that they could develop interest in sport while at university.

1 May 2009 WILKASY Attended by 100 persons, Spotkanie pokoleń, Piknik 100-lecia (A Meeting of Generations. A Centenary Picnic) was held at the AZS centre. Attendees represented different generations of AZS members, as well as various groups associated with the Association’s operation (players, coaches, and the most numerous group of former students, members of university boards). The weather favoured sports and leisure activities: tennis, volleyball, and football tournaments, as well as sailing races were held. Besides numerous meetings, a historical session was organised. A wooden statue of “the one waiting for sailors” was unveiled. The guests enjoyed a boat cruise and at a picnic dance.

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12 May 2009 Sztafeta przez Polskę (Relay Through Poland) is about to begin. Tomasz Wróbel (AZS Opole) and Marcin Strządała (AZS Cieszyn): On 12 May, we set off from Babia Góra on a quest for challenge and adventure; we hope to find opportunities to prove ourselves. The thirty-person rally team leaves with a mission.

We will not only use bicycles, trains, cars, but also boats, kayaks, sailboats, and a balloon, but above all, we will rely on the strength of our own muscles; this will have to do for 2000 km.

From Babia Góra, we head for Cieszyn, and then via Kraków, Katowice, Opole, Wrocław, Leszno, Poznań, Piła, Gdańsk, Bydgoszcz, Włocławek, Łódź, all the way to Warsaw to mark the anniversary Gala on 22 May 2009. Come celebrate with us!

22 May 2009 WARSAW The Auditorium of Warsaw University of Technology was the venue of AZS Centenary Gala. Representatives of all circles and generations of AZS members, altogether ca. 500 people attended the meeting. Among them, members of the celebrations’ Honorary Committee with Barbara Kudrycka, Minister of Science and Higher Education, Adam Giersz, Minister of Sport and Tourism, and Michał Kleiber, Chairman of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

A number of AZS members were awarded state medals, as well as honorary anniversary distinctions, the so-called

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Niezawodni w czasie (Reliable in Time). Presentations to document the Association’s one-hundred-year history were shown on wall screens. Participants of Sztafeta przez Polskę officially brought the AZS flag and reported completion of the race to the chairman of the AZS Central Board.

Accomplishments of the AZS in the past one hundred years, incl. achievements of provincial units, were presented. Several people who significantly contributed to the development of the AZS were awarded the Niezawodni w czasie Prize. A special “Przez stulecie” (Through the One Hundred Years) programme was delivered by the Warszawianka Song and Dance Ensemble of Warsaw University, and the dance group Sway.

To mark the anniversary, the AZS Central Board published Żółta Księga AZS 1910–1914 (The 1910–1914 Yellow Book of the AZS). It is a collection of intermittent poems and comic. accounts of sporting events in all AZS sectyons. With illustrations documenting the operation of AZS Kraków in years 1910–1914. The book was discovered and prepared for publication by Jerzy Pawłowski of AZS Kraków Senior Member Group. Attendees of the AZS Centenary Gala were also presented with another publication, Sport akademicki w relacjach i wspomnieniach (University Sport in Reminiscences and Remembrances) containing sixty-one accounts and recollections by fifty-six authors selected and edited by Ryszard Wryk.

4–6 June 2009 RZESZÓW, KROSNO A scholarly conference Akademicka kultura fizyczna na przełomie stuleci – stan i perspektywa zmian (University Physical Culture at the Turn of Centuries: the Current State, and Prospects for Change). Promoter of the conference, Prof. Kazimierz Obodyński of Rzeszów University indicated the role played by the AZS in shaping the attitudes of student communities in favour of active participation in sporting activities. The conference was attended by ca. one hundred university teachers associated with Physical Education and Sports Departments (SWFiS), as well as members of the Physical Education and SWFiS Commission affiliated with the AZS Central Board.

16 June 2008 WARSAW On AZS motion, a meeting of the Science, Education and Sports Committee of the Polish Republic’s Senate, which was held on the day, was dedicated to the AZS Centenary.

Chairman Marek Rocki and Secretary General Bartłomiej Korpak, who represented the AZS, demonstrated the most important accomplishments of the past period. The Committee unanimously adopted a stance to support the AZS Central Board in its efforts focussing on development of sport and physical education in higher schools.

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27 June 2009 WARSAW Official farewell ceremony to the Polish University Team leaving for Belgrade for the 25th Summer Universiade was held at the Olympic Centre in Warsaw.

On 3 July, the conference hall at the Universiade village saw a meeting of the Polish mission accompanied by an AZS centenary presentation, and Nasz AZS exhibition.

18 September 2009 WARSAW University of Physical Education (AWF). An official academy to mark the 60th anniversary of AZS AWF Sports Club.

The guest list includes a large group of illustrious athletes to have represented the AZS at sports venues throughout the world, among them Olympic medallists Zbigniew Skrudlik, Marek Dąbrowski, Jacek Wszoła, Antoni Zajkowski, Barbara Wysoczańska, Otylia Jędrzejczak, Paweł Korzeniowski, Paweł Nastula, Tomasz Majewski, and Kajetan Broniewski.

The Club’s sporting and organisational achievements were remembered by its chairman, Adam Krzesiński. These included 272 medals won by the Bielany-based athletes at the most important world events, incl. twenty-one Olympic medals. Prof. Alicja Przyłuska-Fiszer, AWF rector, underlined the relations between operation of the AZS Club, and efforts taken by the school to promote sport. On behalf of state authorities, Minister of Sport and Tourism Mirosław Drzewiecki expressed his gratitude for sporting achievements, as well as for the coaching and scholarly contribution to domestic and international sport.

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17 October 2009 KRAKÓW The Warsaw Chamber at Wieliczka Salt Mine. Delegates of higher education establishments and of the AZS authorities are among the guests attending the closing ceremony of anniversary celebrations. Marek Rocki, chairman of the AZS Central Board, said: (…) we have been able to successfully complete most of the entries of the centenary celebrations central programme. We have been able to experience solemn moments during meetings in Kraków, Częstochowa, Gdańsk, and at the Gala meeting in Warsaw. The AZS anniversary has found recognition both with state and university authorities, as well as with world university sport movement.

Contents History of the Akademicki Związek Sportowy (University Sports Association) Olympic Games / 26 World Universiade movement / 33 World University Championships / 38 European Cooperation / 42 Higher schools’ sports competition 1961–2015 / 48 The Media / 58 AZS Centenary Celebrations – calendar of events / 62

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Akademicki ZwiÄ…zek Sportowy ISBN 978-83-65110-41-1

University Sports Association