Ireneusz Paliński

Ireneusz Paliński (13 May 1932 – 9 July 2006) was the first Polish weightlifter to win an Olympic gold medal, which he did in 1960. In 1961, he won the middle-heavyweight world title, setting new world records in the clean and jerk and in the total. For these achievements in the same year he was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta and selected as Polish Sportsperson of the Year. He finished second at the world championships in 1959, 1962–63 and 1966, and third in 1958 and 1964. In total Paliński set six world records in the clean and jerk, which was his favorite event. Domestically, he won nine national titles.

Ireneusz Paliński

Ireneusz Paliński at the 1964 Olympics
Personal information
Born	13 May 1932 Nużewo, Poland
Died	9 July 2006 Warsaw, Poland
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	83–90 kg (183–198 lb)
Sport
Sport	Weightlifting
Club	Gwaria Jelenia Góra LZS Mazowsze
Medal record Men's athletics Representing Poland Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 0 1 World Championships 1 4 2 Total 2 4 3 Olympic Games 1960 Rome -82.5 kg 1964 Tokyo -90 kg World Championships 1961 Vienna -90 kg 1959 Warsaw -82.5 kg 1962 Budapest -90 kg 1963 Stockholm -90 kg 1966 East Berlin -90 kg 1958 Stockholm -82.5 kg 1964 Tokyo -90 kg

Paliński was the oldest of seven brothers born into a poor family. He graduated from a technical university and was a wood craftsman by profession. He took weightlifting while serving in the army. In 1965, he married Zofia Drozdowska, a teacher 13 years his junior. They had two sons, Peter and Adam. Paliński became seriously ill in the early 1990s and had several stomach operations. He died on 9 July 2006, aged 74.