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Elwira Seroczyńska

Full name: Elwira Seroczyńska (Potapowicz-)
Gender: Female
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
Weight: 130 lbs (59 kg)
Born: May 1, 1931 in Vilnius, Vilnius, Lithuania
Died: December 24, 2004 in London, Greater London, Great Britain
Affiliations: Sarmata Warszawa
Country: POL Poland
Sport: Speed Skating

Medals: 1 Silver (1 Total)

Biography

As of 2009, Poland has won only two Olympic speed skating medals, and both were won in the same race, when Elwira Seroczyńska (silver) and Helena Pilejczyk both medalled in the 1500 m at the 1960 Olympics. Born in present-day Lithuania, Seroczyńska was relocated to Elbląg when that part of Poland was annexed by the Soviet Union. There, she picked up speed skating, marrying fellow skater Jacek Seroczyński in 1955. Competing internationally between 1957 and 1964, her career highlights came at the 1960 Olympics and the 1962 World Allround Championships, when she won the 500 m in Imatra (Finland) and finished 9th overall. She was quite successful in Polish Championships, winning the around title five times (1952-1954, 1957, 1963) and an additional 17 distance titles in the 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, 3000 m, 5000 m and relay. Retiring after the Innsbruck Games, Seroczyńska became a coach, and from 1971-1976 she trained the Polish national speed skating team. Later on, she worked as a coach for the Polish Badminton Association and became involved with running the Polish Olympians Society.

Personal Bests: 500 – 46.8 (1960); 1000 – 1:38.4 (1964); 1500 – 2:25.7 (1960); 3000 – 5:27.3 (1960).

Results

Games Age City Sport Event Team NOC Rank Medal
1960 Winter 28 Squaw Valley Speed Skating Women's 500 metres Poland POL 6T
1960 Winter 28 Squaw Valley Speed Skating Women's 1,000 metres Poland POL AC DNF
1960 Winter 28 Squaw Valley Speed Skating Women's 1,500 metres Poland POL 2 Silver OR
1960 Winter 28 Squaw Valley Speed Skating Women's 3,000 metres Poland POL 7
1964 Winter 32 Innsbruck Speed Skating Women's 500 metres Poland POL 16T
1964 Winter 32 Innsbruck Speed Skating Women's 1,000 metres Poland POL 22
1964 Winter 32 Innsbruck Speed Skating Women's 1,500 metres Poland POL 26

Women's 500 metres

Event History
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T
1960 Winter 28 Squaw Valley Speed Skating Poland Final Standings 6T 46.8
1964 Winter 32 Innsbruck Speed Skating Poland Final Standings 16T 48.8

Women's 1,000 metres

Event History
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T 200m 600m
1960 Winter 28 Squaw Valley Speed Skating Poland Final Standings AC DNF
1964 Winter 32 Innsbruck Speed Skating Poland Final Standings 22 1:42.1 21 1:00

Women's 1,500 metres

Event History
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T 300m 700m 1100m
1960 Winter 28 Squaw Valley Speed Skating Poland Final Standings 2 OR 2:25.7 30 1:07 1:45
1964 Winter 32 Innsbruck Speed Skating Poland Final Standings 26 2:39.3 30 1:10 1:53

Women's 3,000 metres

Event History
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T 600m 1000m 1400m 1800m 2200m 2600m
1960 Winter 28 Squaw Valley Speed Skating Poland Final Standings 7 5:27.3 1:02 1:44 2:27 3:11 3:56 4:41