Born: 1946 (Leningrad, Soviet Union)
Died: 2018 (Warsaw, Poland)
Biography:
Irena Szewińska (née Kirszenstein; Polish pronunciation: [iˈrɛna ʂɛˈviɲska]) was a Polish sprinter who was one of the world’s foremost track athletes for nearly two decades, in multiple events. She is the only athlete in history, male or female, to have held the world record in the 100 m, the 200 m, and the 400 m.
Irena Kirszenstein was born in Leningrad on May 24, 1946, to a Jewish-Polish family. Her father was from Warsaw, and her mother was from Kiev. They met in Samarkand, where they were studying at the time, and in 1947, they moved to Warsaw.
From a young age, Szewińska showed immense talent in athletics. She began her competitive career in the 1960s and quickly made a name for herself. Between 1964 and 1980, she participated in five Olympic Games, winning a total of seven medals, three of them gold. She also broke six world records throughout her career.
At her first Olympics in Tokyo in 1964, Szewińska took a silver medal in the long jump and 200 meters. She also ran the second leg of the gold medal-winning 4×100 meters relay team. This early success set the stage for her remarkable career.
In 1965, Szewińska became a double sprint winner at the World Student Games in Budapest. She also set her first world record that year, breaking Wyomia Tyus’ 11.2 seconds from the previous year with an impressive 11.1 second clocking in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
Throughout her career, Szewińska displayed her versatility and dominance in multiple events. She won a total of 10 medals in European Championships and secured 26 national titles between 1965 and 1979. Furthermore, she set 38 records in the 100–400 meter sprint and long jump.
Szewińska’s athleticism, speed, and determination made her a force to be reckoned with on the track. She constantly pushed the boundaries of what was possible for female athletes and her world records in the 100 m, 200 m, and 400 m events set her apart as an extraordinary talent.
Off the track, Irena Szewińska had a thriving personal life. In 1967, she married her coach, Janusz Szewiński, who was also a hurdler at the national level and later worked as a sports photographer. The couple had two sons, Andrzej and Jarosław. Andrzej followed in his parents’ footsteps and played volleyball for the Poland men’s national volleyball team before becoming a senator.
Szewińska was not only a trailblazing athlete but also an accomplished scholar. In 1970, she graduated from the University of Warsaw with an MSc degree in economics, showcasing her dedication and determination to excel in all aspects of her life.
On June 29, 2018, her husband Janusz Szewiński announced her passing. Irena Szewińska died from cancer at the age of 72 in Warsaw at the Military Institute of Medicine on Szaserów Street. She was buried as a Catholic at the Avenue of the Meritorious in the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw.
In recognition of her exceptional contributions to athletics, Irena Szewińska was posthumously honored with a World Athletics Heritage Plaque in 2020, one of the first ever awarded. This plaque commemorates her lasting impact on the sport and her role as a pioneer. Additionally, in 2021, she was voted Polish Sportsperson of the Century by the readers of the Przegląd Sportowy magazine, further solidifying her status as a legendary figure in Polish sports history.
Irena Szewińska’s legacy as a groundbreaking athlete and an inspiration to future generations cannot be overstated. Her achievements and records continue to be celebrated, and she remains a true icon in women’s sports history.
Awards:
– Olympic Games:
– Gold Medal: 4×100 meters relay (1964)
– Gold Medal: 200 meters (1968)
– Gold Medal: 400 meters (1976)
– Silver Medal: Long jump (1964)
– Silver Medal: 200 meters (1964)
– Bronze Medal: 100 meters (1976)
– Bronze Medal: 200 meters (1976)
– European Championships:
– Gold Medals: 200 meters (1966, 1969)
– Gold Medal: 400 meters (1971)
– Silver Medals: 100 meters (1969, 1974)
– Silver Medals: 200 meters (1969, 1974)
– Bronze Medal: 200 meters (1971)
– Bronze Medal: 400 meters (1969)
– Bronze Medals: 4×100 meters relay (1966, 1971, 1974)