Bronisław Malinowski

Along with Anders Gärderud, Bronisław Malinowski was the best steeplechaser of the world in the 1970s. Malinowski made his international début at the 1970 European Junior Championships, where he won the 2,000 steeplechase title. At the 1971 European Championships, Malinowski was eighth in the 5K and placed fourth in the steeple at the 1972 Olympics. Malinowski won steeplechase gold at both the 1974 European Championships and 1975 Universiade, but lost narrowly to Gärderud who set a world record in the 1976 Olympic final and settled for a silver medal. Malinowski defended his European steeplechase title in 1978 and, in 1979, won silver at the International Cross-Country Championships. The high point of Malinowski’s career was at the 1980 Olympics, where he won gold, and this competition was his last major international meet as, less than a year after his Olympic triumph, Malinowski died in a car accident. Domestically he was seven times Polish champion, the 5K in 1972-73 and 1975 and the steeple in 1973-74, 1978, and 1980.

Personal Bests: 1500 – 3:37.42 (1978); 5000 – 13:17.69 (1976); 3000S – 8:09.11 (1976).