Halina Konopacka (1900-1989)

Biography until World War II

Halina Konopacka was born 26th of February 1900 in Rawa Mazowiecka. She grew up in wealth bourgeois house. Her parents took care of good upbringing their children and proper education. She came into contact with athletics during philology studies on University of Warsaw. She played tennis with a passion from her father. She was a great swimmer and she loved group sports, especially basketball. She was one of few female drivers, that she tried her possibilities in rally. She was also interested in painting and poetry. by sports fans, lovers of literaturę and a lot of men, because she was really beautiful woman (tall, fit, full of vitality).

In 1924, she came across athletics. This year as a newcomer she she won two titles of the Polish champion - in shot put and discus throw.

She came across her best sport competition (discus throw) accidentally. One day she came on stadium and encouraged by one of her friends she threw a discus further than national record.

31st of July 1928 Halina Konopacka in Amsterdam won the first olympic gold medal for Poland (it was also the first olympic gold medal won by a woman). This rainy day not only she won a competition but also made a new world record in discus throw – 39,62m. She told Polskie Radio:

„My day was not promising. There’ve been raining since morning. Slimy disk, soft circle, cold, wind, it's a bad prognosis. My only strengths - the desire to win - the desire so great that almost certainty ... "

After returning to her homeland, she received a congratulatory telegram from President Ignacy Mościcki and became the epitome of success in Poland.

Halina Konopacka established Poland's record 56 times, not only in discus throwing but also in shot put and javelin throw. She won 26 titles of the champion of Poland.

In 1928 she married Colonel Ignacy Matuszewski, a diplomat, head of the division of the Second General Staff of the Polish Army and the Minister of the Treasury of the Second Polish Republic.