On January 19, Justyna Kowalczyk-Tekieli celebrates her birthday. The most successful competitor in Polish cross-country and winter sports history, Olympic and World Champion, turns 40. Look at the pictures how it has changed.
The athlete from Kasina Wielka was born on January 19, 1983 in Limanowa. In cross-country skiing, she was already successful in youth categories. She has a medal from the Junior World Championships (silver), also from the Universiade (including 4 golds).
The sports talent from Małopolska made his debut in the “adult” World Cup in December 2001, and Kowalczyk scored his first points in December 2001, during a competition in Asiago. At the World Championships in Obsertdorf in 2005, although she did not stand on the podium, she did well and could count on an Olympic performance in Turin in 2006. After a positive result of doping control (the competitor, however, knowingly refused to take a banned substance) during the World Championships , the results were annulled and a two-year disqualification was imposed on the young runner. After appeals, the sentence was shortened, she could officially start from December 2005, i.e. at the Olympic Games in Turin.
She hasn’t lost her shape. In January 2006, she stood on the podium at the World Championships for the first time (in Otapaeae), raising hopes of an Olympic medal. She finally stood on the Olympic podium – in Turin in February 2006 she won bronze in the 30 km free technique.
This is how the path to success in the biggest events was paved. In Liberec in 2009, she became world champion twice (10 km breaststroke and 15 km combined race). In total, he has 5 Olympic medals, including two gold. Here are her greatest successes.
5 Olympic medals: 2 gold (Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014), silver (Vancouver), 2 bronze (Torino 2006, combined race in Vancouver)
- 7 World Championship medals: 2 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze
- 4 Crystal Balls to win the World Championship (2009-2011, 2013)
- 4 wins in the Tour de Ski classification (2010-13)
After finishing her career, she tried her hand at other sports fields. For two years (2019-2021) she was an assistant coach for the cross-country team Aleksander Wierietielny, under whose eye she had previously achieved her greatest successes. In March 2021, she became director of the Polish Biathlon Union, and resigned in October 2022.
In September 2020, she got married to Kacper TekielaA year later their son was born Hugo
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