FACT SHEET
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE JUSTYNA KOWALCZYK (POL) Cross Country Skiing
Justyna Kowalczyk, born January 19, 1983, is a Polish cross country skier who has been competing since 2000. She is one of the most successful cross country skiers of all time, being the only skier in the history with victories in all the most important sport events, so called "The Big Crown": Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup and Tour de Ski. Kowalczyk is an Olympic Champion and a double World Champion. She is also the only skier who won the Tour de Ski three times in a row and one of two female skiers, who won the FIS Cross-Country World Cup three times in a row (the other one being Finn Marko Matikainen) holds the all-time record for the most wins in Tour de Ski with 10 competitions won. She participated in two Winter Universiades (2005 & 2007) winning 4 golds, 1 silver and 1 bronze.
Education Graduated in physical education in 2009 from Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice.
Main Honors Olympic Games 2006 Turin • Bronze 30 km 2010 Vancouver • Gold 30 km classical • Silver Individual sprint • Bronze 15 km pursuit FIS World Championships 2009 Liberec • Gold 15 km pursuit • Gold 30 km 2011 Oslo • Silver 10 km classical • Silver 15 km pursuit • Bronze 30 km • Bronze 10 km FISU Winter Universiade 2005 Innsbruck FACT SHEET
• Gold 15km classical • Silver 5km freestyle • Bronze sprint freestyle 2007 Torino • Gold pursuit • Gold sprint freestyle • Gold 5km freestyle
Sports Career Kowalczyk finished second in the individual sprint at the 2003 World Junior Championships. She finished 31st in the individual sprint event at the 2003 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Recently in Canmore, Canada, on Jan 22, 2008, Justyna Kowalczyk won the race for her second World Cup triumph. She followed in Canmore with two more bronze medals in the same World Cup event. Kowalczyk was 3rd in the 2007 World Cup. She has also won eighteen individual events at various distances and levels since 2001. At the 2009 world championships in Liberec, Kowalczyk won two gold medals, one in the women's pursuit (7.5 km classical + 7.5 km free technique), and another one in the 30 km mass start. She also secured a bronze medal in the 10 km classical event. She won the overall 2008-2009 cross-country skiing world Cip. On March 24, 2009, Kowalczyk was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. On February 27, 2010, Kowalczyk beat Norway's Marit Bjorgen 0.3 seconds to win the gold medal in the women's 30 km classical event in the 2010 Winter Olympics. She posted a time of one hour, 30 minutes, 33.7 seconds. She earned two more medals in Vancouver, taking silver behind Bjørgen in the individual sprint classic on February 17, 2010, and bronze in the 15 km pursuit on February 19, 2010.
The Big Crown Kowalczyk is the only cross-country skier in history to have won all the "Big Crown" events: Olympic Games (2010, Vancouver, 30 km), World Championship (2009, Liberec, 15 km pursuit and 30 km), World Cup (2008/2009, 2009/2010 and 2010/2011) and Tour de Ski (2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012).
Sports Achievements of Justyna Kowalczyk
2000
World Junior Championships (up to 20 years of age) - Strbske Pleso (Slovakia)
• 5 km of classic technique: 1. Jekaterina Staszastliwaja (Russia) 58th. J.Kowalczyk • freestyle technique sprint: 1. Pirjo Manninen (Finland) 41st. J.Kowalczyk FACT SHEET
2001
World Junior Championships (up to 20 years of age) - Karpacz-Szklarska Por ęba
• 5 km of classic technique: 1. Lina Andersson (Sweden) . 48th. J.Kowalczyk • freestyle technique sprint: 1. Pirjo Manninen (Finland) . 30th. J.Kowalczyk
Polish Senior Championships – individual races
• 1 place in sprint, 2 place combined race 2002
World Junior Championships (up to 20 years of age) - Schonach (Germany)
• 15 km of classic technique: 1. Jewgenia Krawcowa (Russia). 16th. J.Kowalczyk • 5 km of classic technique: 1. Elodie Bourgeas (France) . 36th. J.Kowalczyk • freestyle technique sprint: 1.Mona-Liisa Malvalehto (Finland) . 14th J. Kowalczyk
Youth World Championships (up to 23 years of age) - Val di Fiemme (Italy)
• 2 x 5 km of combined race: 1. Mariana Handler (Sweden). 15th. J.Kowalczyk • freestyle technique sprint: 1. Ingrid Narum (Norway) 29th. J.Kowalczyk • 15 km of classic technique: 1. Natalia Korostieliewa. 35th. J.Kowalczyk
Place in the general classification of the World Cup: 103 place – 1 point
Polish Senior Championships – individual races
• 1 place in sprint, 1 place in combined race, 1 place 10 km of classic technique, 1 place 15 km in classic technique 2003
World Senior Championships - Val di Fiemme (Italy)
• 10km of classic technique: 48th • classic technique sprint: 31st
World Junior Championships (up to 20 years of age) - Solleftea (Sweden) FACT SHEET
• 5 km of classic technique: 5th • freestyle technique sprint: 2nd
International Student’s Olympics (Italy)
• 5 km of classic technique: 10th • freestyle technique sprint: 9th
Place in the general classification of the World Cup: 88 place – 8 points
Polish Senior Championships
• individual races – 1 place sprint, 1 place 5 km of classic technique, 1 place 15 km of freestyle technique 2004
Youth World Championships up to 23 years of age - Soldier Hollow (USA)
• 15 km of classic technique: 1st • freestyle technique sprint: 3rd • 2 x 5 km of combined race: 1st
Place in the general classification of the World Cup: 46 place – 88 points
Polish Senior Championships
• individual races – 1 place sprint, 1 place 5 km of classic technique, 1 place 15 km of freestyle technique 2005
World Senior Championships - Oberstdorf (Germany)
• 10 km of freestyle technique: 9th • 2 x 7.5 of combined race: 13th • classic technique sprint: 12th • 30 km of classic technique in mass start: 4th
Winter Universiade - Innsbruck/Seefeld (Austria)
• freestyle technique sprint: 3rd • 5 km of classic technique: 2nd • 15 km of classic technique: 1st FACT SHEET
Place in the general classification of the World Cup: 44 place – 98 points
Polish Senior Championships
• individual races – 1 place sprint, 1 place 5 km of classic technique 2006
Winter Olympics – Turin (Italy)
• 2 x 7.5 km of combined race: 8th • 10 km of classic technique did not finish the race • freestyle technique sprint: 44th • 30 km of classic technique: 3rd
Youth World Championships up to 23 years of age - Kranj (Slovenia)
• 10 km of classic technique: 1st • 2 x 7.5 km of combined race: 1st
Place in the general classification of the World Cup: 13 place – 392 points
Polish Senior Championships
• individual races – 1 place sprint 2007
World Senior Championships - Sapporo (Japan)
• freestyle technique sprint: 17th • 2 x 7.5 km of combined race: 9th • 10 km of freestyle technique: 18th • 30 km of classic technique in mass start: did not finish the race
Tour de Ski:
• 11th
Winter Universiade – Turin/Pragelato (Italy)
• 5 km of classic technique: 1st • freestyle technique sprint: 1st • 2 x 5 km of combined race: 1st FACT SHEET
Place in the general classification of the World Cup: 8 place – 484 points
Polish Senior Championships
• individual races – 1 place sprint, 1 place 5 km of classic technique 2008
Tour de Ski:
• 7th
Place in the general classification of the World Cup: 3 place – 1096 points
Polish Senior Championships
• individual races – 1 place 5 km of classic technique, 1 place 15 km of freestyle technique 2009
World Championships – Liberec (Czech Republic)
• 10 km of classic technique: 3rd • 2x7.5 km of combined race: 1st • relay 4x5 km: 6. Poland (Justyna Kowalczyk, Kornelia Marek, Sylwia Jaśkowiec, Paulina Maciuszek) • 30 km of freestyle technique in mass start: 1st
Tour de Ski
• 4th
Place in the general classification of the World Cup: 1 place – 1810 points
Polish Senior Championships
• individual races – 1 place sprint, 1 place 15 km of classic technique, 1 place 5 km of freestyle technique, 1 place relay 4x5 km, 1 place 30 km of freestyle technique 2010
FACT SHEET
Winter Olympics - Vancouver (Canada)
• 10 km of freestyle technique: 5th • sprint 1.2 km of classic technique: 2nd • combined race 2x7.5 km: 3rd • relay 4 x 5 km: 6th Poland (Kornelia Marek, Justyna Kowalczyk , Paulina Maciuszek, Sylwia Jaśkowiec) • 30 km race of classic technique in mass start: 1st
Tour de Ski
• 1st
Place in the general classification in the World Cup: 1 place – 2064 points
2011
World Championships - Oslo (Norway)
• 10 km classic: 2nd • 15 km M pursuit: 2nd • Relay 4x5 km: 8. Poland (Ewelina Marcisz, Justyna Kowalczyk , Paulina Maciuszek, Agnieszka Szymańczak) • 30 km Free Mass start: 3rd • Sprint Free: 5th
Tour de Ski
• 1st
World Cup standing: 1st place - 2073 points
Poland’s Championships for Seniors
• Individual races - 15 km Classic - 1st place, 5 km Free - 1st place.
The World Cup – victories in competitions
1. 27.01.2007 Otepaa (Estonia) – 10 km of classic technique 2. 22.01.2008 Canmore (Canada) – 2 x 7.5 km of combined race 3. 17.01.2009 Whistler (Canada) - 2x7.5 km of combined race 4. 24.01.2009 Otepaa (Estonia) – 10 km of classic technique 5. 14.02.2009 Valdidentro (Italy) – 10 km of classic technique 6. 08.03.2009 Lahti (Finland) - 10 km of freestyle technique 7. 22.03.2009 Falun (Sweden) – 30 km World Cup Final 8. 28.11.2009 Kuusamo (Finland) – 1.2 of classic technique sprint 9. 20.12.2009 Rogla (Slovenia) - 15 km of classic technique in mass start FACT SHEET
10. 10.01.2010 Tour de Ski - 60 km 11. 16.01.2010 Otepaa (Estonia) – 10 km of classic technique 12. 23.01.2010 Rybinsk (Russia) – 2 x 7.5 km of combined race 13. 06.02.2010 Canmore (Canada) – 1.4 km of classic technique sprint
The World Cup – places on the podium in competitions
1. 07.01.2006 Otepaa (Estonia) – 3 place in 10 km race of classic technique 2. 27.01.2007 Otepaa (Estonia) – 1 place in 10 km race of classic technique 3. 02.12.2007 Kussamo (Finland) – 3 place in 10 km race of classic technique 4. 22.01.2008 Canmore (Canada) – 1 place in combined race 2 x 7.5 km 5. 23.01.2008 Canmore (Canada) – 3 place in classic technique sprint 6. 25.01.2008 Canmore (Canada) – 3 place in 10 km race of freestyle technique 7. 16.02.2008 Liberec (Czech Republic) – 2 place in 8.7 km race of freestyle technique 8. 16.03.2008 Bormio (Italy) – 2 place in 10 km race of freestyle technique 9. 29.11.2008 Kuusamo (Finland) – 3 place in classic technique sprint 10. 16.01.2009 Whistler (Canada) – 2 place in classic technique sprint 11. 17.01.2009 Whistler (Canada) – 1 place in combined race 2 x 7.5 km 12. 24.01.2009 Otepaa (Estonia) – 1 place in 10 km race of classic technique 13. 14.02.2009 Valdidentro (Italy) – 1 place in 10 km race of classic technique 14. 08.03.2009 Lahti (Finland) – 1 place in 10 km race of freestyle technique 15. 12.03. 2009 Trondheim (Norway) – 3 place in classic technique sprint 16. 14.03.2009 Trondheim (Norway) – 2 place in 30 km race of classic technique 17. 22.03.2009 Falun (Sweden) – 1 place World Cup Final 18. 28.11.2009 Kuusamo (Finland) – 1 place in classic technique sprint (1.2 km) 19. 19.12.2009 Rogla (Slovenia) – 2 place in classic technique sprint (1.4 km) 20. 20.12.2009 Rogla (Slovenia) – 1 place in 15 km race in mass start 21. 10.01.2010 Tour de Ski - 60 km 22. 16.01.2010 Otepaa (Estonia) – 1 place in 10 km race of classic technique 23. 22.01.2010 Rybinsk (Russia) – 3 place in freestyle techniqe sprint (1.5 km) 24. 23.01.2010 Rybinsk (Russia) – 1 place in combined race 2 x 7.5 km 25. 05.02.2010 Canemore (Canada) – 2 place in 10 km race of freestyle technique 26. 06.02.2010 Canemore (Canada) – 1 place in classic technique sprint (1.4 km) 27. 06.03.2010 Lahti (Finland) – 2 place in combined race 2 x 7.5 km 28. 21.03.2010 Falun (Sweden) – 2 place World Cup Final
Awards not connected with sport
• 23 March 2009 for outstanding sports achievements and credits in activity for promoting physical education, the President Lech Kaczyński honoured her with the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta In 2010 Justyna was honoured with the Commander’s Cross with the Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta. • Wiktor 2010 award in the category of the Most Popular Sportsman • Viva! Najpiękniejsi (Viva! The Most Beautiful) statuette in the category of the Most Beautiful Polish Woman – the title of the Sportsman of the Year 2009 in the Plebiscite of Przegląd Sportowy • Person of the Year 2010 of the Wprost weekly
Website: http://www.justyna-kowalczyk.pl/