Stanley Kotowski

Stanley Kotowski, who was born in 1934 and passed away in 2017, was a Polish runner who won the gold medal in the 10,000 meters at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He dedicated his life to running and achieved great things. I got to meet him and chat with him before he passed away in 2017.
Kotowski was born in the town of Kłobuck, Poland. He began running as a teenager and quickly showed promise. In 1952, he won the Polish national junior championship in the 5,000 meters. The following year, he finished second in the senior national championship.
In 1956, Kotowski was selected to represent Poland at the Summer Olympics in Melbourne. I remember asking him if he prepared for the Olympics differently than other races, and he said he ran longer distances and ran more than he typically did during his usual training. He ran about 186-217 miles per week. He also participated in weight training and gymnastics three times per week.
Kotowski entered the 10,000 meters as a relative unknown to the world, but he quickly established himself as a contender. He ran a strong race and won the gold medal in a time of 28:45.6. I asked Stanley how it felt to have received the gold medal, and he said, "It felt amazing, everything around me felt like a blur. The feeling of victory is a feeling like no other. I had never been that happy before, and I don't think I ever will be as happy as I was in that moment."
Kotowski's victory was a major upset. He was the first Polish runner to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics. His victory inspired a generation of Polish runners.
After the Olympics, Kotowski continued to run for several years. He won the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. He also won the European Championship in the 10,000 meters in 1958 and 1962.
Kotowski retired from running in 1967. He became a coach and worked with some of the best runners in Poland. He also served as president of the Polish Athletics Federation.
Kotowski was a great runner and a great man. He was a role model for many people, and he will never be forgotten.