Elwira Seroczyńska, née Potapowicz (1 May 1931 – 24 December 2004) was a Polish speed skater.

Elwira Seroczyńska
Personal information
Born(1931-05-01)1 May 1931
Wilno, Poland
Died24 December 2004(2004-12-24) (aged 73)
London, England
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight59 kg (130 lb)
Sport
CountryPoland
SportSpeed skating
Medal record
Women's speed skating
Representing  Poland
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1960 Squaw Valley 1,500 m

Seroczyńska was born as Elwira Potapowicz in Wilno, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania). A graduate of the State Administrative and Economic School in Elbląg (1951), she and became Polish Allround Champion for the first time in 1952. She would eventually become Polish Allround Champion a total of five times, last in 1963. Apart from her allround titles she won 17 distance titles (some also count the out of competition 1953 1000m race as a title) and established 16 official Polish distance records and one combination record.[1] Curiously several combinations skated at Polish championships were never recognised as being a Polish record due to the combination of distances skated. During her skating career she was member of Stal Elbląg (1950–1953), FSO-Stal Warszawa (1954–1957) and Sarmata Warszawa (1957–1964). At the 1960 Winter Olympics, she won a silver medal on the 1,500 m. At the 1962 World Championships in Imatra, she won a Gold Medal on the 500m. After her skating career she studied at the Warsaw Academy of Physical Education (1972), where she received a master's degree and became trainer of the Polish skating team. She died in London, United Kingdom at the age of 73.

Results

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Elwira's grave at Powązki Military Cemetery
Participations
Year Polish Allround Polish Distance Wch
Allround
Winter
Olympics
1951 2nd 3rd 500m
1st 1000m
1952 1st 1st 500m
3rd 3000m
1st 1500m
3rd 5000m
1953 1st 1st 500m
1st 3000m
1st 1500m
2nd 5000m
1954 1st 2nd 500m
1st 3000m
1st 1000m
1st 5000m
1956 2nd 2nd 500m
2nd 1500m
2nd 1000m
3rd 3000m
1957 2nd 1st 500m
2nd 1500m
2nd 1000m
3rd 3000m
11th
1959 1st 1st 500m
1st 1500m
1st 1000m
2nd 3000m
10th
1960 11th 6th 500m
2nd 1500m
fell 1000m
7th 3000m
1961 3rd 1st 500m
3rd 1500m
3rd 1000m
3rd 3000m
14th
1962 9th
1963 1st 1st 500m
2nd 1500m
1st 1000m
1st 3000m
NC21
1964 4th 500m
4th 1500m
2nd 1000m
16th 500m
26th 1500m
22nd 1000m
medal count
Championships Gold medal Silver medal Bronze medal
Winter Olympics 1
World Speed Skating Championships
Polish Allround 5 3 1
Polish Distance 17 10 8

Personal records

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Personal records
Distance Time Place Date
500 m 46.8 Squaw Valley 20 Feb 1960
1,000 m 1:39.2 Karuizawa 22 Feb 1963
1,500 m 2:25.7 Squaw Valley 21 Feb 1960
3,000 m 5:27.3 Squaw Valley 23 Feb 1960
5,000 m 10:10.0 Zakopane 1964
Mini
combination
207.850 Medeo 20/21 Jan 1960
Small
combination
247.850 Zakopane 01/03 Feb 1953
Old
combination
228.250 Medeo 21/22 Jan 1955
Best times in Poland
Distance Time Place Date
500 m 48.3 Zakopane 25 Feb 1961
1,000 m 1:38.4 Zakopane 12 Jan 1964
1,500 m 2:37.3 Zakopane 25 Feb 1961
3,000 m 5:36.2 Zakopane 27 Jan 1963
5,000 m 10:10.0 Zakopane 1964
Mini
combination
208.166 Zakopane 25/26 Feb 1961
Small
combination
247.850 Zakopane 01/03 Feb 1953
Old
combination
235.391 Zakopane 05/06 Feb 1954

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Seroczyńska (Potapowicz) Elwira". pkol.pl (in Polish). Polish Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 2012-02-20. Retrieved 2008-08-06.

Bibliography

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  • Eng, Trond and Koolhaas, Marnix. National All Time & Encyclopedia, Men/Ladies as at 1.7.1986. Issue No.5 "Eastern Europe". Degernes, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 1986.
  • Żemantowski, Jacek. Lyżwiarski Jubileusz: 80 lat Polski Związek Lyżwiarstwa Szybkiego. Warszawa, Poland: PZLS, 2001.
  • Zieleśkiewicz, Władysław. Encyklopedia sportów zimowych. Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2001. ISBN 83-01-13555-7.
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