Andrzej Gmitruk, Coach and Legend of Polish Boxing, Has Passed Away

Polish boxing has suffered a huge loss. At the age of 67, while fighting a fire at his own home in Hipolitów, Mazovia, Andrzej Gmitruk—a great boxing enthusiast and legendary coach—died. He helped create the successes of professional world champion Tomasz Adamek, Andrzej Gołota, Maciej Sulęcki, Artur Szpilka and Mateusz Masternak.

Gmitruk had been involved in boxing since 1976. That year, he began working as a coach with the Polish Boxing Association’s junior team. Two years later, he joined Warsaw’s Legia club. With the club, he celebrated the team’s Polish championship title five times.

In 1983, at just 32 years of age, he became the youngest coach in the history of the Polish national team. The crowning achievement of his work with the team came at the memorable 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. His charges—Jan Dydak, Henryk Petrich, Andrzej Gołota and Janusz Zarenkiewicz—returned from Korea with four bronze medals.

From 1989 to 1998, Andrzej Gmitruk contributed to the development of amateur boxing in Norway. He coached the Norwegian national team and served as a consultant to the Norwegian Olympic Committee on summer sports.

In 1998, he took on another challenge. He began working with promoter Panos Eliades. Among other things, their cooperation resulted in the signing of a contract with young Polish European Championship medallist Tomasz Adamek.

The editorial team at PolskiBoks.pl extends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. May he rest in peace.