Marek Gołąb was a weightlifter who competed for Silesia Wrocław from 1957-73. He was on the Polish national team from 1962-72. Gołąb won a bronze medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics as a middle-heavyweight, also winning bronzes at the 1966 and 1968 World Championships, and the 1964 and 1966 European Championship, all in middle-heavyweight. In 1966-67 he set three world records, two in the press and one in the total. He was a nine-time Polish record holder, but only won one Polish title, that in 1967.
After his retirement from competition Gołąb worked as a trainer at WKS Śląsk Wrocław from 1972-88. For his contributions to Polish sport Gołąb was given the Golden Cross of Merit and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.