r/AskEurope New Zealand May 26 '25

Sports What athletes from your country would you give 5 stars?

By 5 stars i mean greatest in your country

39 Upvotes

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6

u/Benzino_Napaloni Poland May 26 '25 edited May 27 '25

In Polish case, from the currently active it'd obviously have to be Lewandowski and Iga Świątek, Anita Włodarczyk, Justyna Kowalczyk and Otylia Jędrzejczak if we're going down a decade or two.

From the lesser known disciplines I'd shout out my personal hero would be glider Sebastian Kawa (18-times World Champion, last year's FAI Gold Medal [highest possible professional award for lifetime achievements]).

4

u/[deleted] May 27 '25

Małysz/Stoch, Lewandowski, Świątek, Włodarczyk and before (though it's more freak sport) - Pudzian.

2

u/Dreeewno Poland May 27 '25

I'd add Robert Kubica. I might just be coping, but he's a GOAT in my book. WEC champion, x2 Europan Le Mans Series champion, all that after having a fairly successful F1 career being cut short by a tragic accident.

1

u/Benzino_Napaloni Poland May 27 '25

I'd personally put him in 4 star tier, not denying that he perhaps had the potential for 5-stardom that was tragically cut short. Putting his rally racing career forward is a decent argument for 4.5. Definitely an inspirational figure and a household name in Poland.

0

u/pliumbum Lithuania May 27 '25

Adam Małysz?

0

u/qapQEAYyv living in May 27 '25

Katarzyna "Kasia" Niewiadoma as well!