Piotr Marcin Gacek (born 16 September 1978) is a former Polish volleyball player, member of the Poland men's national volleyball team in 2005–2010 and 2015–2016, 2009 European Champion, silver medallist of the 2006 World Championship, two–time Polish Champion (2009, 2010).

Piotr Gacek
Personal information
Full namePiotr Marcin Gacek
NationalityPoland Polish
Born (1978-09-16) 16 September 1978 (age 46)
Grodków, Poland
Hometown1.85 m
Volleyball information
PositionLibero
Career
YearsTeams
1998–2002
2002–2003
2003–2004
2004–2008
2008–2010
2010–2014
2014–2017
Poland AZS Opole
Poland GTPS Gorzów Wielkopolski
Poland Stal Nysa
Poland AZS Częstochowa
Poland Skra Bełchatów
Poland ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle
Poland Trefl Gdańsk
National team
2005–2016 Poland (114)
Honours
Men's volleyball
Representing  Poland
FIVB World Championship
Silver medal – second place 2006 Japan
FIVB World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Japan
CEV European Championship
Gold medal – first place 2009 Turkey
Hand prints and signature at the Avenue of Volleyball Stars, Katowice

Personal life

edit

Gacek was born in Grodków, Poland. Married twice, his first wife was Agata. On September 27, 2008 he married Karolina. In August 2010 his wife gave birth to their daughter Zofia.[1]

Career

edit

Clubs

edit

His first professional club was SKS Mechanik Nysa and then he played for PGE Skra Bełchatów. With the club from Bełchatów he achieved the titles of Polish Champion (2009, 2010). In 2010-2014 he played for Polish club ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle.[2][3] He won with this club from Kędzierzyn-Koźle the silver medal of CEV Cup 2011, silver (2011), bronze medal (2012) of Polish Championships and two Polish Cups in 2013 and 2014. In 2014 he moved to LOTOS Trefl Gdańsk. On April 19, 2015 LOTOS Trefl Gdańsk, including Gacek, achieved the Polish Cup 2015.[4] Then he won silver medal of the Polish Championship.[5] In May 2015 he signed a two-year contract with LOTOS Trefl Gdańsk.[6]

Gacek ended up sporting career on April 13, 2017 after last match of the 2016–17 PlusLiga at Ergo Arena. He was chosen Most Valuable Player of the match with Cerrad Czarni Radom.[7][8]

National team

edit

Piotr Gacek was in the Polish squad when the Polish national team won the gold medal of the European Championship 2009.[9] On September 14, 2009 he was awarded Knight's Cross of Polonia Restituta.[10]

He announced his retirement from national team on June 5, 2016. On August 26, 2017, before the match Poland – Finland at the 2017 European Championship in Ergo Arena, Gdańsk, was held a brief ceremony to thank him for career in national team. He played 114 matches in Polish national team.[11]

Sporting achievements

edit

Individual awards

edit
  • 2006: Polish Championship – Best Libero
  • 2008: Polish Cup – Best Defender
  • 2009: Polish Cup – Best Receiver
  • 2013: Polish Cup – Best Receiver
  • 2015: Polish Cup – Best Receiver

State awards

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Gacek został ojcem! – siatkowska24.pl – 30-08-2010
  2. ^ Piotr Gacek w ZAKSIE – plusliga.pl – 19-05-2010
  3. ^ Piotr Gacek nie będzie już siatkarzem ZAKSY Kędzierzyn-Koźle – sportowefakty.pl – 30-04-2014
  4. ^ Polish Cup for Lotos Trefl. Asseco Resovia in the second place Archived 2015-05-18 at the Wayback Machine – assecoresovia.pl – 19-04-2015
  5. ^ POL M: Madhouse in Rzeszów – Resovia is new Polish champion! – worldfovolley.com – 28-04-2015
  6. ^ Piotr Gacek na dłużej w LOTOSIE Treflu – sport.trefl.com – 21-05-2015
  7. ^ Wyjątkowy mecz Piotra Gacka – plusliga.pl – 14-04-2017
  8. ^ Lotos Trefl Gdańsk - Cerrad Czarni Radom 1:3. Pożegnalny występ Piotra Gacka – interia.pl – 14-04-2017
  9. ^ 2009 CEV European Championships Results – cev.eu – 03-09-2009
  10. ^ Reprezentacja siatkarzy odznaczona przez prezydenta – prezydent.pl – 15-09-2009
  11. ^ Wielkie dzięki GATO! – pzps.pl – 26-08-2017