Barbara Sobotta-Janiszewska, née Barbara Lerczak, (December 4, 1936, in Poznań – November 20, 2000, in Kraków) was a Polish athlete who mainly competed in the women's sprint events during her career.
In 1958 in Stockholm, she won the European Championships 200 metres race (as Maria Leontyavna Itkina won the bronze medal).
She competed for Poland at the 1960 Summer Olympics held in Rome, Italy where she won the bronze medal in the women's 4 × 100 metres with her teammates Teresa Wieczorek, Celina Jesionowska and Halina Richter.
Personal life Her first husband was Piotr Sobotta, a high jumper. She was later in informal relationship with Jan Nowicki, with whom she later had a son, Łukasz Nowicki, an actor and television presenter. After 4-5 years, Jan Nowicki broke up with Barbara for Irena Paszyn. Later she married the pole vaulter Zbigniew Janiszewski.
International competitions Representing 1954World Student GamesBudapest, Hungary3rd4 × 100 m relay47.4European ChampionshipsBern, Switzerland9th (sf)100 m12.24th200 m24.45th4 × 100 m relay47.11955World Festival of Youth and StudentsWarsaw, Poland3rd4 × 100 m relay47.41956Olympic GamesMelbourne, Australia21st (h)100 m12.3711th (sf)200 m25.128th (h)4 × 100 m relay46.581958European ChampionshipsStockholm, Sweden11th (sf)100 m12.11st200 m24.13rd4 × 100 m relay46.01959UniversiadeTurin, Italy4th100 m12.22nd200 m24.26th4 × 100 m relay49.21960Olympic GamesRome, Italy5th200 m24.963rd4 × 100 m relay45.191961UniversiadeSofia, Bulgaria1st200 m24.442nd4 × 100 m relay47.61962European ChampionshipsBelgrade, Yugoslavia3rd200 m23.91st4 × 100 m relay44.51964Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan19th (qf)100 m11.86th200 m23.97
Additional images
References