Zbigniew Skrudlik

Zbigniew Skrudlik took up fencing in 1953 as a student at the Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw. He won his first national title in 1956, in the team épée, and was the runner-up in the team foil the following year. He had his first national individual podium finish, second, in the foil in 1958, the same year that he graduated with a master’s degree in physical education. He captured his first major international medals, bronze in the team foil at the 1961 World Championships and Summer Universiade, the same year that he became the individual Polish champion in that discipline.

Skrudlik won another team foil bronze at the World Championships in 1962 and individual silver in the épée at the Polish championships. The following year, 1963, was his most successful to date, as he won gold with the foil and épée teams and silver in the individual foil at the Universiade, in addition to a silver medal in team foil and a fourth-place finish individually at the World Championships. He also earned a second national title in the individual foil and was runner-up with the team. His next stop was the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where he captured silver with the foil team, while also being runner-up in that event at the national championships.

Skrudlik’s successes did not stop there, as he won another team foil silver at the 1965 World Championships and had the same result in team épée at the Polish championships. He won bronze in the team foil at the next two editions of the Worlds, as well as in the team épée at the 1967 national championships. His final year of competition was 1968, when he took home silver medals in individual and team foil nationally, and bronze in the team foil at the Mexico City Olympics. Following his retirement from active competition, Skrudlik turned to coaching, most notably leading the Polish national team from 1968 through 1978.