- Władysław Kozakiewicz
Władysław Kozakiewicz (born
December 8 ,1953 ) is a Polishpole vault jumper. Kozakiewicz was born to a Polish family inŠalčininkai (Polish: Sołeczniki) nearVilnius , in the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.Kozakiewicz broke the world record three times, was European Indoor Champion in 1977 and 1979, Polish Champion ten times, and won a gold medal during the
1980 Summer Olympics inMoscow .In 1984 he defected to
West Germany , where he won the national title twice, in 1986 and 1987.Kozakiewicz's gesture
In
Poland the Italian elbow gesture, known under various names, became known as the "Kozakiewicz's gesture" ("gest Kozakiewicza"). Kozakiewicz showed it to the Russian public at the stadium during the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The crowd supporting Soviet jumper Volkov booed and whistled during Kozakiewicz's spectacular performance. Having just secured his gold medal position, in an act of defiance Kozakiewicz showed the gesture to the Soviet spectators. He later went on and broke the world record by clearing 578 cm confirming his absolute dominance at the competition.The photos of this incident circled the globe, with the exception of the
Soviet Union and its satellites. While the international observers varied in their reaction to the incident, Kozakiewicz's act received much support in the Polish society which for years resented the Russian control over Eastern Europe. The Soviet ambassador to Poland demanded that Kozakiewicz be stripped of his medal for an "insult to the Soviet people". The official response of the Polish government was that the gesture was an involuntary muscle spasm caused by his exertion.ee also
*
1968 Olympics Black Power salute External links
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=5570 Kozakiewicz at sporting-heroes.net]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZFv3JDJwks Video of Kozakiewicz giving the gesture at the Moscow Olympics]
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