Ryszard Witke

From an early age Ryszard Witke skied with his brothers and soon competed in youth ski jumping competitions in Poland. Witke won his first event in 1953 when he was 14-years-old, eventually competing at the Polish championships in 1958. He soon made his way into the national team where he came fourth at the 1960 Winter Universiade in Chamonix. In 1962 he won silver on the 70 metre hill at the Polish championships, before winning gold the following year. These performances earned Witke a place on the Olympic team for the 1964 Innsbruck Games where he competed in both the large and normal hill, placing 35th and 45th, respectively.

In 1964 and 1965 Witke won bronze on the large hill at the Polish championships. Ahead of the 1966 World Ski Championships in Oslo he broke his arm, but went on to compete with his arm in a cast, finishing seventh on the normal hill. Shortly after the World championships he won gold at the Norwegian Ski Jumping Tournament. He continued to be plagued with injury and misfortune, however, contracting an eye inflammation ahead of the 1968 Grenoble Olympics. This was reflected in his performances where he came 31st in the large hill and 32nd in the normal hill. Witke continued to compete for a few more years, winning another bronze at the 1971 Polish championships, before a torn hamstring put an end to his career.

After his retirement Witke taught classes at the academy of physical education in Katowice, before earning qualifications to become a ski jumping coach. He later worked as a physiotherapist at the children’s tuberculosis sanatorium and became a FIS judge.