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Irena Szewińska-Kirszenstein

Full name: Irena Szewińska-Kirszenstein
Gender: Female
Height: 5'9" (176 cm)
Weight: 132 lbs (60 kg)
Born: May 24, 1946 in St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russia
Affiliations: Polonia Warszawa, Warszawa (POL)
Country: POL Poland
Sport: Athletics

Medals: 3 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze (7 Total)

Biography

With a total of seven Olympic medals in track & field Poland's Irena Szewińska-Kirszenstein equaled the record of Australian Shirley Strickland de la Hunty (later bettered by Merlene Ottey). Szewińska-Kirszenstein won gold medals in the 4×100 metres relay (1964), the 200 metres (1968) and the 400 metres (1976) and she also won two silver and two bronze medals. Her Olympic career ended in 1980 when, in her fifth Games, she pulled up with a muscle strain in the semi-finals of the 400 metres. Her tally of 13 world records included her Olympic victories of 1968 (200 metres) and 1976 (400 metres) and at the European Championships she won a record ten medals (five gold, one silver, four bronze). Born to Polish-Jewish parents in the Soviet city of Leningrad, she returned to Poland at an early age and during an outstanding career set 38 Polish records. In 1967 she married her coach, Janusz Szewiński. In 1998, Irena Szewińska was named a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Personal Bests: 100 – 11.13 (1974); 200 – 22.21 (1974); 400 – 49.28 (1976); LJ – 6.67 (1968).

Results

Games Age City Sport Event Team NOC Rank Medal
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Women's 200 metres Poland POL 2 Silver
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Women's 4 × 100 metres Relay Poland POL 1 Gold WR
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Women's Long Jump Poland POL 2 Silver
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Women's 100 metres Poland POL 3 Bronze
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Women's 200 metres Poland POL 1 Gold WR
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Women's 4 × 100 metres Relay Poland POL 7 h2 r1/2
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Women's Long Jump Poland POL 16 QR
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Women's 100 metres Poland POL 6 h2 r3/4
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Women's 200 metres Poland POL 3 Bronze
1976 Summer 30 Montréal Athletics Women's 400 metres Poland POL 1 Gold WR
1980 Summer 34 Moskva Athletics Women's 400 metres Poland POL 8 h2 r2/3

Women's 100 metres

Event History
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T(H) T(A) L
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Final 3 11.1 11.19 7
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Semi-Finals Heat One 1 QU 11.3 11.30
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Quarter-Finals Heat Four 1 QU/=OR 11.1 11.20
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Round One Heat Four 1 QU 11.3 11.32
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Poland Semi-Finals Heat Two 6 11.54 2
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Poland Quarter-Finals Heat Two 2 QU 11.49 6
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Poland Round One Heat Six 2 QU 11.33 8

Women's 200 metres

Event History
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T(H) T(A) L
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Final 2 23.1 23.13 4
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Semi-Finals Heat One 2 QU 23.6 23,62
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Round One Heat Six 1 QU 23.8w 23.82w
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Final 1 WR 22.5 22.58 7
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Semi-Finals Heat One 3 QU 23.2 23.21
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Round One Heat Five 1 QU 23.2 23.21
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Poland Final 3 22.74 5
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Poland Semi-Finals Heat One 3 QU 22.92 6
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Poland Quarter-Finals Heat One 1 QU 22.79 7
1972 Summer 26 München Athletics Poland Round One Heat Five 1 QU 23.37 3

Women's 400 metres

Event History
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank T(A) L
1976 Summer 30 Montréal Athletics Poland Final 1 WR 49.28 4
1976 Summer 30 Montréal Athletics Poland Semi-Finals Heat One 1 QU/OR 50.48 5
1976 Summer 30 Montréal Athletics Poland Quarter-Finals Heat Four 4 QU 52.00 5
1976 Summer 30 Montréal Athletics Poland Round One Heat Four 3 QU 52.75 1
1980 Summer 34 Moskva Athletics Poland Semi-Finals Heat Two 8 53.13 1
1980 Summer 34 Moskva Athletics Poland Round One Heat Three 3 QU 52.57 3

Women's 4 × 100 metres Relay

Event History
Games Age City Sport Team NOC Phase Unit Rank T(H) T(A) L
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland POL Final 1 WR 43.6 43.69 4
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland POL Round One Heat One 1 QU 44.6 44,62
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland POL Round One Heat Two 7 53.0 53.02

Women's Long Jump

Event History
Games Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Rank D BMD
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Final Round 2 6.60
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Final Round Round One 11 5.86
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Final Round Round Two 2 6.43 6.43
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Final Round Round Three 2 6.56 6.56
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Final Round Round Four 2 6.03 6.56
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Final Round Round Five 2 6.60 6.60
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Final Round Round Six NP foul
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Qualifying Round 3 QU 6.43w
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Qualifying Round Round One 14 5.80
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Qualifying Round Round Two 3 6.43w 6.43
1964 Summer 18 Tokyo Athletics Poland Qualifying Round Round Three NP pass
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Qualifying Round 16 6.19
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Qualifying Round Group A 8 6.19
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Qualifying Round Group A Round One NP foul
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Qualifying Round Group A Round Two 8 6.19 6.19
1968 Summer 22 Ciudad de México Athletics Poland Qualifying Round Group A Round Three NP foul