Bronisław Malinowski

Medal record
Men’s Athletics
Competitor for  Poland
Olympic Games
Gold	1980 Moscow	3000 m steeplechase
Silver	1976 Montreal	3000 m steeplechase

Bronisław Malinowski (June 4, 1951 – September 27, 1981) was a Polish athlete, named after the famous anthropologist, who is best known for winning a gold medal in the 3000 m steeplechase race during the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow, Soviet Union. A year later, Malinowski was killed in a car accident at the age of 30.

Malinowski finished fourth at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany but came back to win gold at the 1974 European Championships. The period between the European Championships and the 1976 Summer Olympics, saw a rivalry emerge between Malinowski and Swedish athlete Anders Gärderud. It ended with Malinowski taking silver behind the first-place Gärderud who won in world-record time.

Although Gärderud retired from the sport in 1976, Malinowski faced a new contender, Henry Rono of Kenya, who set the new world record in 1978. Still, Malinowski beat Rono in a head-to-head race that same season. In the autumn of 1978, he successfully defended his European Championship at the 3,000-metre steeplechase in Prague (see, for example, Tapio Pekola et al., eds., "European Championships Prague" / EM-Praha, Kaarina, Finland: "Runner" / Juoksija magazine, 1978). The pinnacle of Malinowski's career came during the 1980 Summer Olympics when he took gold in the 3000 m steeplechase race by steadying himself against front-runner Filbert Bayi.

Malinowski had a Polish father and a Scottish mother. At the time of his death, he considered moving to Scotland because Poland was then politically restless (see, for example, "The Events of Top Sports Until 1982" / Huippu-urheilun tapahtumat vuoteen 1982, published in Finland in 1982).

See also

• Polish records in athletics

Records
Preceded by Vladimir Dudin	Men's Steeple European Record Holder equalled Vladimir Dudin's 8:22.2 mark August 10, 1972 – 1972-09-14	Succeeded by Anders Gärderud
Sporting positions
Preceded by Henry Rono	Men's 3,000 m Steeple Best Year Performance 1980	Succeeded by Patriz Ilg