Justyna Kowalczyk-Tekieli

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Justyna Maria Kowalczyk-Tekieli (Polish: [jusˈtɨna kɔˈvalt͡ʂɨk tɛˈkjɛli]; born 19 January 1983[1]) is a Polish cross-country skier who has been competing since 2000. Kowalczyk is a double Olympic Champion and a double World Champion. She is also the only skier to win the Tour de Ski four times in a row and one of two female skiers (the other being Finn Marjo Matikainen) to win the FIS Cross-Country World Cup three times in a row. Kowalczyk holds the all-time record for wins in the Tour de Ski with 14, and had 29 podiums in total. She also won the Vasaloppet women's edition in 2015.[2]

Justyna Kowalczyk-Tekieli
Country Poland
Born (1983-01-19) 19 January 1983 (age 41)
Limanowa, Poland
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Ski clubAZS AWF Katowice
World Cup career
Seasons17 – (20022018)
Starts319
Podiums104
Wins50
Overall titles4 – (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013)
Discipline titles5 – (4 DI, 1 SP)
Medal record
Women's cross-country skiing
Representing  Poland
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 2 1 2
World Championships 2 3 3
Total 4 4 5
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver 30 km classical
Gold medal – first place 2014 Sochi 10 km classical
Silver medal – second place 2010 Vancouver Individual sprint
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Turin 30 km freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Vancouver 15 km pursuit
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Liberec 15 km pursuit
Gold medal – first place 2009 Liberec 30 km freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2011 Oslo 10 km classical
Silver medal – second place 2011 Oslo 15 km pursuit
Silver medal – second place 2013 Val di Fiemme 30 km classical
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Liberec 10 km classical
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Oslo 30 km freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Falun Team sprint
U23 World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2004 Park City 10 km skiathlon
Gold medal – first place 2004 Park City 15 km freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2006 Kranj 10 km classical
Gold medal – first place 2006 Kranj 15 km skiathlon
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Park City Individual sprint
Junior World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2003 Sollefteå Individual sprint
Updated on 4 February 2017.

She is a member of cross country ski department of AZS AWF Katowice and is coached by Aleksander Wierietielny.

Career edit

 
Justyna Kowalczyk celebrates the gold medal in the women's 30 km classical event at the 2010 Olympics.

Raised in the mountainous Goral village of Kasina Wielka, Southern Poland,[citation needed] Kowalczyk took up cross country skiing at the age of 10. She then competed in her first FIS World Cup race at Cogne (ITA) in December 2001.[3]

In 2002 she came second in the individual sprint at the World Junior Championships. She finished 31st in the individual sprint at the 2003 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Kowalczyk's first World Cup Victory was the 10 km classic race at Otepää on January 27, 2007. Kowalczyk was 3rd overall in the 2007 World Cup.

She won the overall 2008–09 Cross-Country Skiing World Cup. On 24 March 2009, Kowalczyk was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.

At the 2009 world championships in Liberec, Kowalczyk won two gold medals, one in the women's pursuit (7.5 km classical + 7.5 km free technique), and another one in the 30 km mass start. She also secured a bronze medal in the 10 km classical event.

On 27 February 2010, Kowalczyk beat Norway's Marit Bjørgen by 0.3 seconds to win the gold medal in the women's 30 km classical event in the 2010 Winter Olympics. She posted a time of one hour, 30 minutes, 33.7 seconds. She earned two more medals in Vancouver, taking silver behind Bjørgen in the individual sprint classic on 17 February 2010, and bronze in the 15 km pursuit on 19 February 2010.

Kowalczyk won the 10 km classical race in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi on a broken foot. She did not finish 30 km freestyle race. [4]

On 22 February 2015 won bronze medal of the World Championship 2015 in team sprint with Sylwia Jaśkowiec in Falun, Sweden.[5]

She won the Vasaloppet ski marathon in 2015 with a time of 4:41:02. She also won the Birkebeinerrennet long-distance cross-country ski marathon held annually in Norway in 2017 and 2018.

Education edit

Kowalczyk graduated from the Jerzy Kukuczka University of Physical Education in Katowice with an M.A. and a Ph.D. degree in physical education in 2014 at the Bronisław Czech University of Physical Education in Kraków, where her dissertation was titled "The structure and volume of training load cross-country skiing on the background of the evolution of technology gear and different levels of sports".[6][7][8]

2005 Suspension edit

 
Justyna Kowalczyk (middle) in 2013 alongside Marit Bjørgen and Kerttu Niskanen.

At the 2005 World Championships, Kowalczyk competed but was subsequently disqualified for taking dexamethasone at the Under23 (U23) OPA (Alpine Nations) Intercontinental Cup competition in Oberstdorf, Germany back on 23 January 2005. Dexamethasone is a substance that is allowed Out-of-Competition but prohibited In-Competition. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant. Kowalczyk used the substance to alleviate an Achilles tendon condition.

On 13 June 2005, the FIS Doping Panel issued a two-year suspension (23 January 2005 – 22 January 2007) for Kowalczyk. In late June 2005 FIS determined that since dexamethasone was a glucocorticosteroid, it was classified as a specified substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances, and therefore the period of ineligibility for the first violation is at a maximum, one year's ineligibility. The FIS Doping Panel therefore reduced the suspension to one year.

Kowalczyk appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which held that Kowalczyk did not use Dexamethasone to enhance her sport performance. However, she acted negligently, but the measure of the negligence did not justify a one-year term of ineligibility. According to CAS, a reduced period of ineligibility ending 8 December 2005 (the day of the hearing) provided the fair and proportionate measure of sanction.

CAS criticised the FIS Doping Panel that their decision excluded any consideration of Kowalczyk's defence that she did not use the substance to enhance her sport performance. According to CAS, Kowalczyk had disclosed and substantiated her defence that Dexamethasone was not intended to enhance performance. She had submitted corresponding medical certifications to the FIS Doping Panel as proof of use in alleviating an Achilles tendon condition. Upon Kowalczyk's prima facie showing that her use of the substance was for medical reasons, the burden of proof shifted to FIS to prove the contrary.

Criticism of anti-asthma drugs edit

Kowalczyk criticized Marit Bjørgen and other competitors during the Olympic Games in 2010 for using anti-asthma drugs. Bjørgen won five medals in the Olympics, three of them gold.[9] The drug is allowed by FIS if prescribed by an Olympic team physician.[9] Kowalczyk later apologized for the timing of her statements, since the Games were still going on at the time.[9] The asthma medication Marit Bjørgen was using, Symbicort, has since been removed from WADA's list of banned substances.[10]

Personal life edit

She has three elder siblings: sisters Ilona and Wioletta and brother Tomasz.[11] In 2014, she revealed in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza that she had a miscarriage and later struggled with depression.[12]

In 2020, she married Polish mountaineer Kacper Tekieli with whom she has a son Hugon (born 2021).[13] In May 2023, her husband died in an avalanche in Swiss Alps while descending from the summit of Jungfrau.[14]

Cross-country skiing results edit

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).[15]

Olympic Games edit

  • 5 medals – (2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze)
Year Age 10 km
individual
15 km
skiathlon
30 km
mass start
Sprint 4 × 5 km
relay
Team
sprint
2006 23 DNF 8 3rd 44
2010 27 5 3rd 1st 2nd DSQ
2014 31 1st 6 DNF 7 5
2018 35 17 14 22 10 7

World Championships edit

  • 8 medals – (2 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze)
Year Age 10 km Pursuit 30 km Sprint 4 × 5 km
relay
Team
sprint
2003 20 48 31
2005 22 9 13 4 12
2007 24 18 9 DNF 17
2009 26 3rd 1st 1st 6
2011 28 2nd 2nd 3rd 5 8
2013 30 5 2nd 6 9
2015 32 17 4 5 3rd
2017 34 8 8 9
2019 36 13 10

World Cup edit

  • 9 titles – (4 overall, 4 distance, 1 sprint)
Season Titles
Season Discipline
2008–09 Overall
Distance
2009–10 Overall
Distance
Sprint
2010–11 Overall
Distance
2012–13 Overall
Distance
Season Standings
Season Age Discipline standings Ski Tour standings
Overall Distance Sprint Nordic
Opening
Tour de
Ski
World Cup
Final
Ski Tour
Canada
2002 19 103 73
2003 20 88 NC 61
2004 21 46 42 38
2005 22 44 30 44
2006 23 13 17 17
2007 24 8 10 17 11
2008 25 3rd 3rd 8 7
2009 26 1st 1st 4 4 1st
2010 27 1st 1st 1st 1st 2nd
2011 28 1st 1st 5 2nd 1st 2nd
2012 29 2nd 2nd 4 5 1st 5
2013 30 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 1st DNF
2014 31 12 7 13 4
2015 32 13 13 33 10 DNF
2016 33 16 13 35 11 23 9
2017 34 21 14 27 19
2018 35 54 49 41 24

Individual podiums edit

  • 50 victories – (31 WC, 19 SWC)
  • 104 podiums – (64 WC, 40 SWC)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place
1 2005–06 7 January 2006   Otepää, Estonia 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
2 2006–07 27 January 2007   Otepää, Estonia 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st
3 2007–08 2 December 2007   Rukatunturi, Finland 10 km Individual C World Cup 3rd
4 28 December 2007   Nové Město, Czech Republic 3.3 km Individual C Stage World Cup 3rd
5 4 January 2008   Asiago, Italy 1.2 km Sprint F Stage World Cup 3rd
6 22 January 2008   Canmore, Canada 7.5 km + 7.5 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 1st
7 22 January 2008 1.2 km Sprint C World Cup 3rd
8 23 January 2008 10 km Individual F World Cup 3rd
9 16 February 2008   Liberec, Czech Republic 7.6 km Individual F World Cup 2nd
10 16 March 2008   Bormio, Italy 10 km Pursuit F World Cup 2nd
11 2008–09 29 November 2008   Rukatunturi, Finland 1.2 km Sprint C World Cup 3rd
12 27 December 2008   Oberhof, Germany 2.8 km Individual F Stage World Cup 3rd
13 28 December 2008 10 km Pursuit C Stage World Cup 3rd
14 16 January 2009   Whistler, Canada 1.2 km Sprint C World Cup 2nd
15 17 January 2009 7.5 km + 7.5 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 1st
16 24 January 2009   Otepää, Estonia 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st
17 14 February 2009   Valdidentro, Italy 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st
18 8 March 2009   Lahti, Finland 10 km Individual F World Cup 1st
18 12 March 2009   Trondheim, Norway 1.4 km Sprint C World Cup 3rd
20 14 March 2009 30 km Mass Start C World Cup 2nd
21 20 March 2009   Falun, Sweden 2.5 km Individual F Stage World Cup 3rd
22 21 March 2009 5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/F Stage World Cup 3rd
23 18–22 March 2009   World Cup Final Overall Standings World Cup 1st
24 2009–10 28 November 2009   Rukatunturi, Finland 1.2 km Sprint C World Cup 1st
25 19 December 2009   Rogla, Slovenia 1.0 km Sprint C World Cup 2nd
26 20 December 2009 15 km Mass Start C World Cup 1st
27 1 January 2010   Oberhof, Germany 2.8 km Individual F Stage World Cup 3rd
28 2 January 2010 10 km Pursuit C Stage World Cup 1st
29 3 January 2010 1.6 km Sprint C Stage World Cup 2nd
30 6 January 2010   CortinaToblach, Italy 16 km Pursuit F Stage World Cup 2nd
31 7 January 2010 5 km Individual C Stage World Cup 1st
32 1–10 January 2010     Tour de Ski Overall Standings World Cup 1st
33 16 January 2010   Otepää, Estonia 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st
34 22 January 2010   Rybinsk, Russia 1.0 km Sprint F World Cup 3rd
35 23 January 2010 7.5 km + 7.5 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 1st
36 5 February 2010   Canmore, Canada 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd
37 6 February 2010 1.45 km Sprint C World Cup 1st
38 6 March 2010   Lahti, Finland 7.5 km + 7.5 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 2nd
39 17 March 2010   Stockholm, Sweden 1.1 km Sprint C Stage World Cup 2nd
40 19 March 2010   Falun, Sweden 2.5 km Individual C Stage World Cup 1st
41 17–21 March 2010   World Cup Final Overall Standings World Cup 2nd
42 2010–11 27 November 2010   Rukatunturi, Finland 5 km Individual C Stage World Cup 2nd
43 28 November 2010 10 km Pursuit F Stage World Cup 3rd
44 26–28 November 2010   Nordic Opening Overall Standings World Cup 2nd
45 11 December 2010   Davos, Switzerland 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
46 18 December 2010   La Clusaz, France 15 km Mass Start F World Cup 2nd
47 31 December 2010   Oberhof, Germany 2.5 km Individual F Stage World Cup 1st
48 1 January 2011 10 km Pursuit C Stage World Cup 1st
49 2 January 2011   Oberstdorf, Germany 1.2 km Sprint C Stage World Cup 2nd
50 6 January 2011   CortinaToblach, Italy 16 km Pursuit F Stage World Cup 1st
51 6 January 2011   Val di Fiemme, Italy 10 km Mass Start Stage World Cup 1st
52 31 December 2010 –
9 January 2011
   Tour de Ski Overall Standings World Cup 1st
53 22 January 2011   Otepää, Estonia 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
54 4 February 2011   Rybinsk, Russia 5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 1st
55 5 February 2011 1.3 km Sprint F World Cup 3rd
56 19 February 2011   Drammen, Norway 10 km Individual C World Cup 2nd
57 12 March 2011   Lahti, Finland 5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/F World Cup 2nd
58 18 March 2011   Falun, Sweden 2.5 km Individual C Stage World Cup 2nd
59 19 March 2011 5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/F Stage World Cup 2nd
60 16–20 March 2011   World Cup Final Overall Standings World Cup 2nd
61 2011–12 17 December 2011   Rogla, Slovenia 10 km Mass Start C World Cup 1st
62 29 December 2011   Oberhof, Germany 2.5 km Individual F Stage World Cup 1st
63 30 December 2011 10 km Pursuit C Stage World Cup 1st
64 31 December 2011   Oberstdorf, Germany 1.2 km Sprint C Stage World Cup 1st
65 1 January 2012 5 km + 5 km Skiathlon C/F Stage World Cup 2nd
66 3 January 2012   Toblach, Italy 3 km Individual C Stage World Cup 2nd
67 4 January 2012 1.3 km Sprint F Stage World Cup 3rd
68 5 January 2012 15 km Pursuit F Stage World Cup 2nd
69 7 January 2012   Val di Fiemme, Italy 10 km Mass Start C Stage World Cup 1st
70 8 January 2012 9 km Pursuit F Stage World Cup 2nd
71 29 December 2011 –
8 January 2012
   Tour de Ski Overall Standings World Cup 1st
72 21 January 2012   Otepää, Estonia 1.2 km Sprint C World Cup 1st
73 22 January 2012 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st
74 2 February 2012   Moscow, Russia 1.5 km Sprint F World Cup 1st
75 5 February 2012   Rybinsk, Russia 7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/F World Cup 2nd
76 11 February 2012   Nové Město, Czech Republic 15 km Mass Start C World Cup 2nd
77 18 February 2012   Szklarska Poręba, Poland 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st
78 4 March 2012   Lahti, Finland 1.4 km Sprint C World Cup 3rd
79 7 March 2012   Drammen, Norway 1.2 km Sprint C World Cup 3rd
80 11 March 2012   Oslo, Norway 30 km Mass Start World Cup 2nd
81 17 March 2012   Falun, Sweden 10 km Mass Start C Stage World Cup 1st
82 2012–13 30 November –
2 December 2012
  Nordic Opening Overall Standings World Cup 2nd
83 13 December 2012   Canmore, Canada 10 km Mass Start C World Cup 1st
84 16 December 2012 7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/F World Cup 1st
85 29 December 2012   Oberhof, Germany 3 km Individual F Stage World Cup 3rd
86 30 December 2012 9 km Pursuit C Stage World Cup 1st
87 3 January 2013   CortinaToblach, Italy 15 km Pursuit F Stage World Cup 1st
88 4 January 2013   Toblach, Italy 3 km Individual C Stage World Cup 1st
89 4 January 2013   Val di Fiemme, Italy 10 km Mass Start C Stage World Cup 1st
90 29 December 2012 –
6 January 2013
    Tour de Ski Overall Standings World Cup 1st
91 12 January 2013   Liberec, Czech Republic 0.85 km Sprint C World Cup 2nd
92 19 January 2013   La Clusaz, France 10 km Mass Start C World Cup 3rd
93 16 February 2013   Davos, Switzerland 1.5 km Sprint C World Cup 1st
94 17 February 2013 10 km Individual F World Cup 2nd
95 10 March 2013   Lahti, Finland 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st
96 13 March 2013   Drammen, Norway 1.3 km Sprint C World Cup 1st
97 17 March 2013   Oslo, Norway 30 km Mass Start F World Cup 2nd
98 20 March 2013   Stockholm, Sweden 1.1 km Sprint C Stage World Cup 1st
99 2013–14 29 November 2013   Rukatunturi, Finland 1.4 km Sprint C Stage World Cup 1st
100 30 November 2013 5 km Individual C Stage World Cup 1st
101 7 December 2013   Lillehammer, Norway 10 km Individual C World Cup 1st
102 21 December 2013   Asiago, Italy 1.25 km Sprint C World Cup 1st
103 19 January 2014   Szklarska Poręba, Poland 10 km Mass Start C World Cup 1st
104 2016–17 4 February 2017   Pyeongchang, South Korea 7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/F World Cup 1st

Team podiums edit

  • 1 podium – (1 TS)
No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammate
1 2014–15 18 January 2015   Otepää, Estonia 6 × 1.2 km Team Sprint F World Cup 3rd Jaśkowiec

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ sport.pl Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine – interview – she explains that in fact she was born 19 January 1983, but a registrar made a mistake and noted 23 January, which wasn't officially corrected
  2. ^ "Eliassen and Kowalczyk win Vasaloppet". Swix Ski Classics. 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 11 March 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Justyna KOWALCZYK - Olympic Cross Country Skiing | Poland". Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  4. ^ Vancouver2010.com Archived 1 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine – Athlete profile
  5. ^ Falun: brązowy medal dla Kowalczyk i Jaśkowiec! - sport.wp.pl - 22 February 2015
  6. ^ "Justyna Kowalczyk obroniła pracę doktorską". www.awf.krakow.pl. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Justyna Kowalczyk obroniła doktorat, mimo wpadki". Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Doktor Justyna Kowalczyk. Narciarka obroniła pracę z wyróżnieniem". Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  9. ^ a b c "Cross-Country Skiing: Kowalczyk claims ladies 30 km gold". – 27 February 2010 Vancouver2010.com (AFP) article accessed 28 February 2010. Archived 1 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) The cycling link is used because it is the most concise text about Symbicort's removal. The list of banned substances is, of course, the same for cycling and cross-country skiing
  11. ^ "Brat o Justynie Kowalczyk: Na początku... mały leniuch z czekoladą w ręku". przegladsportowy.pl (in Polish). 7 January 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  12. ^ Paweł Wilkowicz (4 June 2014). "Depresja Justyny Kowalczyk. "Trzy ostatnie lata mojego życia okazały się kłamstwem" [WYWIAD]". sport.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Justyna Kowalczyk urodziła! Jak rodzice dali na imię dziecku?". sport.fakt.pl (in Polish). 5 September 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  14. ^ Michał Lao. "Nie żyje Kacper Tekieli, prywatnie mąż Justyny Kowalczyk". interia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  15. ^ "KOWALCZYK Justyna". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Retrieved 29 December 2019.

https://www.olympic.org/justyna-kowalczyk - retrieved 16 January 2018

External links edit