Stefan Ołdak

Before becoming a specialist in road construction Stefan Ołdak was a champion track and field athlete in Poland. Ołdak began competing in athletics while at high school, establishing himself as a sprinter and middle-distance runner. He set 11 Polish records across the 400, 800, 1,500 metres, and relay races, and was a four-time national champion in the 4×400 metres relay (1923–25, 1927). Ołdak ran in the 400 metres and 800 metres at the 1924 Paris Olympics but did not advance from the heats in either race.

Once his athletics career was over Ołdak graduated from the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Warszawa University of Technology in 1934 with the title of road and bridge construction engineer. With his new-found qualifications he began to work for the Department of Roads of the Ministry of Communication. Ołdak was a senior assistant at the Railway Traffic Department of the university before becoming the head of the Roads and Bridges Department.

Whilst working as an engineer Ołdak was still involved in sports and helped to reactivate the Polish Athletics Association (PZLA) after the war, serving as their Vice-President from 1945 to 1951. For the PZLA he began to work for the refereeing commission where he co-authored the athletics regulations during the 1950s and 1960s, and wrote a handbook on refereeing in athletics competitions in 1971. Ołdak was bestowed with multiple honours including the Distinguished Activist of Physical Culture (1954), the Distinguished Judge of Athletics (1964), the Golden Badge of Honor of the PZLA (1957), and the Knight’s Cross (1969).

Personal Bests: 400 – 53.0 (1924); 800 – 1:58.4 (1926).