Szymon Ziółkowski

Who is Szymon Ziółkowski?

Szymon Ziółkowski is a Polish hammer thrower and an Olympic gold medal winner from Sydney 2000. He also won the gold medal at the World Championships in Edmonton 2001 with a career best throw of 83.38 metres, and the bronze in Helsinki 2005.

Before winning the 2000 Olympic gold medal he had won the gold medal at the 1994 World Junior Championships, finished tenth at the 1996 Olympic Games and fifth at the 1998 European Championships and competed at the 1995 and 1999 World Championships without reaching the final.

After the 2001 season three low-key seasons followed. He competed at the 2004 Olympic Games without reaching the final.

After his 2005 World Championships bronze, he finished fifth at the 2006 European Championships, seventh at the 2007 World Championships and fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games. At the World Athletics Final he finished fifth in 2005, seventh in 2006 and eighth in 2007. In 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin he won silver medal with the result of 79.30m finishing 50 cm behind the Olympic champion of Beijing Primož Kozmus.

For his sport achievements, he received:

Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta in 2000.

Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta in 2009.