PROMINENT ACTIVISTS AND CYCLISTS OF THE PEOPLE’S ZARZEWIE PRUDNIK SPORTING CLUB IN THE OPOLE PROVINCE (SOUTH-WESTERN REGION OF POLAND), 1955-1990

Abstract

The article presents biographical sketches of cyclists and activists of People’s Spors Club in Prudnik. Cycling activists such as Tadeusz Niebylski, Jan Gruszczyński, Alicja Ćwierz and Roman Dejka organized many events aimed at promotion and further development of this sport in Poland. The sketches focus of the competitors’ career beginnings, interests and, most of all, their sporting successes. Cyclists such as Franciszek Surmiński or Jan Kubal laid the foundations of professional cycle racing in Prudnik. For all the mentioned cyclists the path to sporting championship was never easy. For many of them even owning a good bicycle was almost impossible, and their knowledge about racing at that time was based only on their own day-to-day experience. They were competitors, coaches, and mechanics in one person. All those hardships, however, did not discourage them from cycle racing. They also practiced many other complementary sports in winter. The 1970s constituted a success story for such cyclists as Stanisław Szozda, a double Olympic vice-champion, or Bogdan Bezdzietny - an exceptionally talented bronze medal winner in junior team world championships.