Wiesław Jan Maniak (22 May 1938 – 28 May 1982) was a Polish athlete who mainly competed in the 100 m sprint and participated in two Olympic Games.
Biography He spent his part of his youth between 1957 and 1963 in Great Britain and Ireland where his father lived after World War Two. Competing under the name of Victor Manning he became Irish champion in 1963 winning the 100 and 220 yards. Having come back to his home country the previous year, he competed for Poland at the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, where he won the silver medal in the men's 4 × 100 metre relay with his teammates Andrzej Zieliński, Marian Foik and Marian Dudziak.
Maniak finished second behind Paul Nash in the 100 yards event at the British 1966 AAA Championships.
He died in Kurchatov, Soviet Union, in 1982, while working on the construction of a power plant.
Legacy The Wiesław Maniak Municipal Athletics Stadium in Szczecin is named in his honour. Since 2018, the Wiesław Maniak Memorial athletics meet is being held there annually.
International competitions Representing 1964Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan4th100 m10.422nd4 × 100 m relay39.361965UniversiadeBudapest, Hungary4th100 m10.3 (w)7th200 m21.4 (w)5th4 × 100 m relay41.0European Cup FinalStuttgart, West Germany2nd4 × 100 m relay39.51966European ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary1st100 m10.609th (h)4 × 100 m relay40.61967European Cup FinalKiev, Soviet Union4th100 m10.55th4 × 100 m relay40.41968European Indoor GamesMadrid, Spain4th50 m5.79Olympic GamesMexico City, Mexico29th (h)100 m10.49 (w)8th4 × 100 m relay39.22
Personal bests Outdoor 100 metres – 10.1 (Szczecin 1965) 100 metres – 10.35 (Tokyo 1964) 200 metres – 21.1 (Szczecin 1967)
Indoor 60 metres – 6.5 (Warsaw 1964)
References
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