Robert Marek Korzeniowski (born 30 July 1968) is a Polish former

racewalker Race walking, or racewalking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Race judges carefully asses ...

who won four gold medals at the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

and three gold medals at

World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...

Biography

Korzeniowski was born in

Lubaczów Lubaczów ( ''Liubachiv'') is a town in southeastern Poland, close to the border with Ukraine, with 12,567 inhabitants Situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, it is the capital of Lubaczów County and is located northeast of Przemyśl. Othe ...

, and is the brother of fellow Olympic athlete

Sylwia Korzeniowska Sylwia Korzeniowska (born 25 April 1980 in Tarnobrzeg) is a Polish-born French race walker Race walking, or racewalking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one ...

Career

Korzeniowski won three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 50 km walk at Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004. In addition, he became the first athlete to win the gold medal in both the 50 km walk and 20 km walk at a single Olympic Games in Sydney. He won World Championship titles in the 50 km walk at the 1997 World Championships, 2001 World Championships, and 2003 World Championships. He also won European Championship twice in the 50 km walk in

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

in Budapest and

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

in Munich. He is also the former world record holder in the 50 km walk from 2002 to 2006.

Post-career

Korzeniowski retired after the 2004 Olympic Games and became actively involved in various roles at the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...

. He was the coach and mentor of former world record-holder

Paquillo Fernández Francisco Javier Fernández Peláez (born 6 March 1977 in Guadix, Province of Granada, Andalusia), better known as Paquillo Fernández, is a retired Spanish race walker. He specialized in the 20 km race walk. On 27 July 2008 he set a new 10-km ...

. Since 2005 he worked for the public

Polish Television Television in Poland was Timeline of the introduction of television in countries, introduced on an experimental basis in 1937. It was state owned, and was interrupted by the Second World War in 1939. Television returned to Poland in 1952 and for ...

(TVP) as a chief of sport department and in 2007 he became a General Manager of

TVP Sport TVP Sport is a Polish sport channel, owned by TVP, launched on 18 November 2006. The channel is available on Platforma Canal+, Polsat Box, as well as over cable providers. Broadcast SD broadcasting via satellite (''Eutelsat Hot Bird'') stoppe ...

, a new specialized channel in Poland. On 6 November 2009, he announced his resignation. In 2014 Korzeniowski was inducted into the

International Association of Athletics Federations World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and International Association of Athletics Federations and formerly abbreviated as the IAAF, is the international governing body for the sport of athletics, coverin ...

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

. In 2022, the Korzeniowski Warsaw Race Walking Cup, an annual racewalking competition in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

, was founded and named in his honor. Since 2022 it has been a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold level competition.

State awards

For his sport achievements, Korzeniowski received the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

: * 1996

Knight's Cross (5th Class) * 2000 POL Polonia Restituta Oficerski BAR

Officer's Cross (4th Class) * 2004 POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR

Commander's Cross (3rd Class)

Competition record

References

External links

Official website

IOC tribute
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Korzeniowski, Robert 1968 births Living people People from Lubaczów Polish male race walkers Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes for Poland Olympic gold medalists for Poland World record setters in athletics (track and field) World Athletics Championships medalists European Athletics Championships medalists Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics Athletes from Subcarpathian Voivodeship Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field) Goodwill Games medalists in athletics FISU World University Games gold medalists for Poland World Athletics Championships winners Competitors at the 1989 Summer Universiade Medalists at the 1991 Summer Universiade Medalists at the 1993 Summer Universiade Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games Polish Athletics Championships winners 20th-century Polish sportsmen