Alfons Niklas

Alfons Niklas took up track and field athletics after World War II and focused on the hammer throw after joining the army at the age of 18. He won his only Polish title in that discipline in 1954, the same year that he took bronze at the Indoor Championships, and was selected to take part in that year’s European Championships. He was, however, unable to travel to due to the Cold War political situation. He was runner-up at the nationals in 1955 and 1957, behind Tadeusz Rut, and in-between was selected to represent Poland at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. There he placed 10th, four positions higher than Rut. He won a final medal, bronze, at the national championships in 1960 and then retired from active competition. He later earned a doctorate and worked as a professor of physical education, in addition to coaching.

Personal Best: HT – 61.63 (1957).