Andrzej Badenski

Andrzej Badeński was a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He started his athletic career in the club Legia Warszawa and was coached by Gerard Mach. He won a bronze medal in the 400 metres at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, setting a personal best of 45.64 seconds. He also competed in the 4×400 metres relay, finishing sixth with the Polish team. He was more successful at the European Championships, where he won two silver medals in the 400 metres and the 4×400 metres relay in 1966 in Budapest, and another silver medal in the relay in 1971 in Helsinki. He also participated in three other editions of the European Championships, in 1962, 1969 and 1974. He was a dominant figure in the European Indoor Championships, where he won ten medals, including six gold medals. He won the individual 400 metres in 1968 in Madrid and in 1971 in Sofia, and the 4×400 metres relay in 1968, 1969, 1971 and 1972. He also won two silver medals in the individual 400 metres in 1970 in Vienna and in 1972 in Grenoble, and two silver medals in the relay in 1970 and 1972. He competed in three Olympic Games, in 1964, 1968 and 1972, reaching the semi-final in the 400 metres and finishing fourth and fifth in the relay in 1968 and 1972 respectively. He was a 27-time Polish record holder in the 400 metres and various relays, and a 10-time Polish champion in the 400 metres and the relays. He was also an American indoor champion in the 600 yards in 1971. He emigrated to Germany in 1974, where he worked as a sound technician and a television producer. He died of cancer in 2008 in Wiesbaden.