Jan Kowalczyk

Jan Kowalczyk competed in three Olympics (1968, 1972, 1980) in equestrian team jumping, but his finest Olympic hour came in 1980 at Moskva when he won gold in individual show jumping aboard Artemor. Kowalczyk began riding horses as a youth with LSZ Drogomyśl, although he later wore the colors of Cwału Poznań and then Legia Warszawa. He won 17 Polish titles in show jumping, and was runner-up another three times.

Kowalczyk worked in the 1960s as a miner, and then did his mandatory military service before returning to the jumping arena. Kowalczyk was fortunate to compete in 1980 at Moskva, as he had fallen off his horse a few weeks before and broken his collarbone. He was able to ride by changing from the tailcoat to his standard military uniform which was allowed, and also seemed to calm down Artemor.