Elwira Seroczyńska

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

Elwira Seroczyńska

Personal information
Born	1 May 1931 Wilno, Poland
Died	24 December 2004 (aged 73) London, England
Height	1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight	59 kg (130 lb)
Sport
Country	Poland
Sport	Speed skating
Medal record Women's speed skating Representing  Poland Olympic Games 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

Elwira's grave at Powazki - Cmentarz Wojskowy

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

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

Notes

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

Bibliography

• 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.

External links

• Elwira Seroczynska at the International Olympic Committee
• Elwira Seroczyńska at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
• "Seroczyńska (Potapowicz) Elwira" at the Polish Olympic Committee (olimpijski.pl) at the Wayback Machine (archived 2009-03-11)