Janusz Kusociński

Janusz Kusocinski ( born January 15, 1907 in Warsaw, † June 21, 1940 in Palmiry in Warsaw; nickname Kusy ) was a Polish athlete and Olympic champion over 10,000 m in 1932. After the German occupation of Poland, he was killed with other Polish personalities within the AB action of the German occupation.

Life

Kusocinski was born into a family of railroad workers. As a schoolboy he played in various clubs in Warsaw football. It was not until 1928 he started with athletics after he had joined the club " Sarmata " connected. There he was trained by the Estonian decathlete Aleksander Klum mountain Kolmpere, who had won at the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924 the bronze medal.

Immediately on his first participation in the Polish national championships Kusocinski surprisingly won the title over 5000 meters and cross-country running. Because of his invitation to the Polish army, he had to interrupt his sports career for one season. His achievements were then but better than before. He was both 1930 and 1931 Polish champion over 1500 meters, 5000 meters and cross-country running. In 1932 he won the title in the 800 meters.

One month before the start of the Olympic Summer Games 1932 in Los Angeles ran Kusocinski with 8:18,8 min a new world record over 3000 meters. In the Olympics, he stepped to the 10,000 meters. After an exciting battle with the Finnish runners Volmari Iso - Hollo and Lasse Virtanen Kusocinski was in the new Weltjahresbestleistung of 30:11,4 min Olympic champion. In the same year he also improved the world record over 4 miles on 19:02,6 min.

After winning the silver medal in the 5000 meters at the 1934 European Athletics Championships in Turin inaugural Kusocinski be retired from active competitive sports. In 1939, he made ​​his comeback and became the Polish national champion in the 10,000 -meter run.

When attacking the German army invaded Poland Kusocinski be reported as a volunteer in the Polish army in the fighting he was wounded twice. During the German occupation he was imprisoned in the underground organization Organizacja Wojskowa Wilki active and on 26 March 1940 by the Gestapo. Three months after his arrest, he was assassinated in Palmiry with other victims of the AB Action.

1971 was named in his honor a walk in the Munich Olympic Park after him.

Kusocinski Memorial in Warsaw

The international athletics Sports Festival 1954 " Kusocinski Memorial " ( Polish) decorated and 2009 was held for the 55th time. A major event in 1959 was a discus world record by Edmund Piątkowski.

Film

1977 was filmed last round ( Polish) on Kusocinski by Krzysztof Rogulski the film.