Tadeusz Jankowski

Tadeusz Jankowski took up cross country skiing after World War II, at the age of 15. Five years later, in 1950, he became the Polish junior champion in the Nordic combined. He won his first senior national title, in the 15 kilometers, in 1958, the same year that he also placed second in the 30 kilometers. The following year he won the 4x10 kilometer relay and came in second in the 50 kilometers, the latter of which was a feat that he would repeat in 1963. During this time, he began to represent Poland internationally, and at the 1958 World Championships he was ninth in the 4x10 kilometer relay, 40th in the 30 kilometers, and 49th in the 15 kilometers. At the 1962 edition, he was 18th in the 50 kilometers.

Jankowski had his most successful year in 1964 when he won the national 30 kilometers championship, which earned him a spot on Poland’s delegation to that year’s Innsbruck Olympics. There, he was 33rd and 40th in the 15 and 30 kilometers events respectively. He was also on the Polish team that placed eighth in the 4x10 kilometers relay, alongside Józef Gut Misiaga, Edward Budny, and Józef Rysula. Jankowski retired shortly after the Games and took up coaching, most notably helping establish the first women’s biathlon team in Poland and coaching the biathlon teams at the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics. He also had a successful career writing books.