Janusz Kusociński Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Janusz Kusociński Memorial (Polish
: Memoriał Janusza Kusocińskiego) is an annual track and field
meeting which takes place in mid-June.
The meeting was first held in 1954 in memory of the Polish runner Janusz Kusociński
, the 1932 Olympic champion
over 10,000 metres, who was killed on 21 June 1940 during the German AB-Aktion Operation. The event was located at the 10th-Anniversary Stadium in Warsaw
for much of its early history. Later on, the meet venue changed to a rotational basis and the memorial was held in cities such as Lublin
, Bydgoszcz, Poznań
and most recently Szczecin
.
From its inception to the present day, the Janusz Kusociński Memorial has attracted world record holders and Olympic medallists. Initially attracting top Eastern European athletes (including Soviet Olympic champion Vladimir Kuts
at the first competition), Frenchman Michel Jazy
, American Bill Nieder
, and China's Ni Zhiqin
were among the participants in its first decade. The 1970s saw runners Ron Clarke
and Filbert Bayi
compete, while the 1980s featured performers including Wolfgang Schmidt
and Sergey Bubka. Among the world record breakers to appear at the memorial in the 1990s were Svetlana Masterkova
, Wilson Kipketer
and Jan Železný
. Numerous Olympic, World and European Championship level athletes continue to take part on an annual basis.
Each edition features a long-distance memorial race. This event has been dominated by East African athletes in the last decade. In addition to the memorial race, the meeting typically has high calibre performances in the throwing events.
The meeting, which holds European Athletics Outdoor Meetings status, is among the foremost Polish track and field competitions, alongside the annual Pedro's Cup events.
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
: Memoriał Janusza Kusocińskiego) is an annual track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
meeting which takes place in mid-June.
The meeting was first held in 1954 in memory of the Polish runner Janusz Kusociński
Janusz Kusocinski
Janusz Tadeusz Kusociński was a Polish athlete, winner in the 10000 m event at the 1932 Summer Olympics....
, the 1932 Olympic champion
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
over 10,000 metres, who was killed on 21 June 1940 during the German AB-Aktion Operation. The event was located at the 10th-Anniversary Stadium in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
for much of its early history. Later on, the meet venue changed to a rotational basis and the memorial was held in cities such as Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
, Bydgoszcz, Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
and most recently Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
.
From its inception to the present day, the Janusz Kusociński Memorial has attracted world record holders and Olympic medallists. Initially attracting top Eastern European athletes (including Soviet Olympic champion Vladimir Kuts
Vladimir Kuts
Vladimir Petrovich Kuts was a Soviet long distance runner. He is alternatively known as Volodymyr Kuts, the Ukrainian spelling, as Kuts was born in Aleksino, which is in present-day Ukraine....
at the first competition), Frenchman Michel Jazy
Michel Jazy
Michel Jazy is a former French middle distance runner, who won the silver medal over 1500 metres at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. The race was won by Herb Elliott in a new world record time...
, American Bill Nieder
Bill Nieder
William Henry Nieder is an American athlete who mainly competed in the shot put. He was born in Hempstead, New York....
, and China's Ni Zhiqin
Ni Zhiqin
Ni Zhiqin often referred to as Ni Chih-Chin, is a retired Chinese high jumper.He is known for breaking the world record with 2.29 m on 8 November 1970 in Changsha, but because PR China was not a member of the International Association of Athletics Federations at the time, his...
were among the participants in its first decade. The 1970s saw runners Ron Clarke
Ron Clarke
Ronald William "Ron" Clarke, MBE is a former Australian athlete, writer, and current Mayor of the Gold Coast. He is one of the best known middle and long distance runners in the 1960s, notable for setting seventeen world records.- Early life and family :He attended Melbourne High School...
and Filbert Bayi
Filbert Bayi
Filbert Bayi is a former Tanzanian middle-distance runner of the 1970s who set the world records for 1500 metres in 1974 and the mile in 1975...
compete, while the 1980s featured performers including Wolfgang Schmidt
Wolfgang Schmidt
Wolfgang Schmidt is a former German track and field athlete, who competed for East Germany at the 1976 Summer Olympics and won the silver medal in the discus throw. A former world record holder, he also won several medals at the European Championships in Athletics. Schmidt made headlines in 1982...
and Sergey Bubka. Among the world record breakers to appear at the memorial in the 1990s were Svetlana Masterkova
Svetlana Masterkova
Svetlana Alexandrovna Masterkova is a Russian former middle distance runner and current world record holder for the mile. At the 1996 Summer Olympics, she won the gold medal in both the 800 and 1,500 metres....
, Wilson Kipketer
Wilson Kipketer
Wilson Kosgei Kipketer is a Kenyan born Danish former middle distance runner. He holds the current indoor world records at the 1000 and 800 metres distance. While dominating the 800 m distance for a decade, remaining undefeated for a three-year period and running 8 of the 17 currently all-time...
and Jan Železný
Jan Železný
Jan Železný is a Czech javelin thrower, world and Olympic champion and world record holder in javelin throw...
. Numerous Olympic, World and European Championship level athletes continue to take part on an annual basis.
Each edition features a long-distance memorial race. This event has been dominated by East African athletes in the last decade. In addition to the memorial race, the meeting typically has high calibre performances in the throwing events.
The meeting, which holds European Athletics Outdoor Meetings status, is among the foremost Polish track and field competitions, alongside the annual Pedro's Cup events.