article by Nicholas Pucci
If there’s one constant throughout the 1990s of men’s high jump, it’s that Artur Partyka has been a permanent presence on the podium at major international exhibitions.
Polish from Stalowa Wola, where he was born on July 25, 1969, is in fact one of the specialty’s top performers for at least a decadeprotagonist on the scene to the point of coming rightly considered the worthy heir of the great Jacek Wszola, gold medal in Montreal in 1976 and silver in Moscow in 1980as well as two times European indoor champion, in San Sebastian in 1977 and in Sindelfingen in 1980.
Partyka already stands out at a youth level, winning the European junior title in 1987 in Birmingham with 2.19 meters which he combines, the following year, the junior world title in Sudbury, Canadaimproving up to 2.28 meters, also taking part in his first Olympics, in Seoul 1988where he stops at 2.19 meters in qualifying.
With the entry in the 90s, Partyka provides a high and constant level of performance, almost always present on the podium in major events, starting with the gold medal won at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow in the same 1990 climbing up to 2.33 meters, while the following year, at the indoor world championship in Seville, the overcoming of the bar set at 2.37 meters only earned him the silverpreceded by the American Hollis Conway with the measure of 2.40 meters.
The 1992 Olympic event in Barcelona sees him fighting for the gold right up to the last jump, with the top step of the podium assigned to the Cuban Sotomayor only for the fewest mistakes made, followed by the Swede Patrick Sjoberg and a trio formed by Conway, Forsyth and Partykaas all five athletes stop at the measure of 2.34 meters.
Always a medal also in the following three years – silver both at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart with 2.37 meters behind Sotomayor with 2.40 meters than at the European Championships in Helsinki in 1994 with 2.33 meters in the race won by Hoen with 2.35 meters and finally bronze at the 1995 Gothenburg World Cup with 2.35 meters (gold for Troy Kemp and silver for Sotomayor, both with 2.37 meters) -, Partyka has the great chance to reach Olympic glory at the 1996 Atlanta Games, but having to surrender to the American Charles Austinwho with 2.39 meters sets the Olympic record, having to settle for yet another silver with the measure of 2.35 meters.
Metal that also accompanies it the following year, when at the World Championships in Athens in 1997, Sotomayor still excels with 2.37 meters compared to the “usuallyi” 2.35 meters of the Pole, who however, he ends his excellent career in the best way when he becomes the European champion both indoors and outdoors at the respective Championships in Valencia (2.31 meters) and Budapest in 1998where he overcomes the resistance of the Briton Dalton Grant with 2.34 meters, silver for the single highest number of errors committed.
And if at the dawn of 29 it’s time to devote yourself to something else… well, Artur Partyka a prominent place in the history of Polish athletics is really guaranteed. Enough to deserve, in 1996, the Cross of Merit offered to him by his country.
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