STELLA WALSH
Name: Stanislawa Walasiewicz
Born: 3 April 1911
Stanislawa Walasiewicz (also known as Stanislawa Walasiewiczawna and Stella
Walsh) (April 3, 1911 - December 4, 1980) was a Polish born Polish and American
athlete and an Olympic champion.
Walasiewicz was born April 3, 1911 in Wierzchownia near Rypin, Congress
Poland. Her family emigrated to the United States when she was only three months
old. Her father, Julian Walasiewicz, settled in Cleveland where he found a job
as a steel mill worker. Her family called her Stasia, a common Polish
diminutive of her Christian name, which later gave birth to the American version
of her name Stella.
She started her athletic career in a public school in Cleveland. Fast and agile,
in 1927 she easily won the competition for a place in the American Olympic team
started by the Cleveland Press newspaper. However, Walasiewicz was not an
American citizen and could not obtain citizenship under the age of 21.
However, after the success of Halina Konopacka, a Polish athlete who won gold in
the discus throw at the 1928 Summer Olympics inspired Walasiewicz to join the
local branch of Soka‚, a Polish sports and patriotic organization active also
among the Polish diaspora. During the Pan-Slavic Slet of Sokół movement in
Poznań she scored her first major international victories. She won 5 gold medals:
in running for 60, 100, 200 and 400 metres, as well as long jump. She was
asked to stay in Poland and join the Polish national athletic team. She also
continued to run in various American challenges and games.
In the late 1920s she was already a well-known athlete. As an amateur she was
also working as a clerk in Cleveland. While still not a US citizen, Walasiewicz
did participate in, and won, numerous American national championships, usually
under the name of Stella Walsh. For her part in inter-state athletic
championships the city of Cleveland awarded her a car. In 1930 she was chosen
the most popular Polish athlete by the readers of the PrzeglÄ…d Sportowy (Sports
Review) daily.
In the 1932 Summer Olympics she represented Poland. In both the heats and the
semi-finals of the 100 m, Walasiewicz equalled the current world record of 11.9
seconds, a feat she repeated in the final, which she won. The same day, she also
finished 6th out of 9 in the discus throw event. Upon her return to Poland
she almost instantly became one of the best-known personalities. She was
welcomed by gigantic crowds in the port of Gdynia and a few days later she was
awarded the Golden Cross of Merit for her achievements. She was also again
chosen the most popular Polish person related to sports - and held that title
for three years.
Name: Stanislawa Walasiewicz
Born: 3 April 1911
Stanislawa Walasiewicz (also known as Stanislawa Walasiewiczawna and Stella
Walsh) (April 3, 1911 - December 4, 1980) was a Polish born Polish and American
athlete and an Olympic champion.
Walasiewicz was born April 3, 1911 in Wierzchownia near Rypin, Congress
Poland. Her family emigrated to the United States when she was only three months
old. Her father, Julian Walasiewicz, settled in Cleveland where he found a job
as a steel mill worker. Her family called her Stasia, a common Polish
diminutive of her Christian name, which later gave birth to the American version
of her name Stella.
She started her athletic career in a public school in Cleveland. Fast and agile,
in 1927 she easily won the competition for a place in the American Olympic team
started by the Cleveland Press newspaper. However, Walasiewicz was not an
American citizen and could not obtain citizenship under the age of 21.
However, after the success of Halina Konopacka, a Polish athlete who won gold in
the discus throw at the 1928 Summer Olympics inspired Walasiewicz to join the
local branch of Soka‚, a Polish sports and patriotic organization active also
among the Polish diaspora. During the Pan-Slavic Slet of Sokół movement in
Poznań she scored her first major international victories. She won 5 gold medals:
in running for 60, 100, 200 and 400 metres, as well as long jump. She was
asked to stay in Poland and join the Polish national athletic team. She also
continued to run in various American challenges and games.
In the late 1920s she was already a well-known athlete. As an amateur she was
also working as a clerk in Cleveland. While still not a US citizen, Walasiewicz
did participate in, and won, numerous American national championships, usually
under the name of Stella Walsh. For her part in inter-state athletic
championships the city of Cleveland awarded her a car. In 1930 she was chosen
the most popular Polish athlete by the readers of the PrzeglÄ…d Sportowy (Sports
Review) daily.
In the 1932 Summer Olympics she represented Poland. In both the heats and the
semi-finals of the 100 m, Walasiewicz equalled the current world record of 11.9
seconds, a feat she repeated in the final, which she won. The same day, she also
finished 6th out of 9 in the discus throw event. Upon her return to Poland
she almost instantly became one of the best-known personalities. She was
welcomed by gigantic crowds in the port of Gdynia and a few days later she was
awarded the Golden Cross of Merit for her achievements. She was also again
chosen the most popular Polish person related to sports - and held that title
for three years.