Maciej Grabowski (sailor)

Maciej Tadeusz Grabowski (born 2 March 1978 in Gdynia) is a Polish sailor, who specialized in the Laser class.[1] He had an impressive track record of two career European titles, and finished only in the top 16 in three editions of the Olympic Games (2000, 2004, and 2008), representing his nation Poland.[2][3] Throughout his sporting career, Grabowski trained for Hestia Sopot Sailing Club (Polish: Sopocki Klub Żeglarski Hestia) and then became a member of the Polish Sailing Association under head coach Tomasz Chamera.[4] As of June 2015, Grabowski is ranked outside the top 200 for the Laser class by the International Sailing Federation.

Maciej Grabowski
Personal information
Full nameMaciej Tadeusz Grabowski
Nationality Poland
Born (1978-03-02) 2 March 1978 (age 46)
Gdynia, Poland
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
Sailing career
ClassDinghy
ClubSopocki Klub Żeglarski Hestia
CoachTomasz Chamera
Medal record
Men's sailing
Representing  Poland
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1999 Palma de Mallorca Laser

Grabowski made his Olympic debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he sailed a marvelous stretch to notch a seventh spot in the Laser class with a net grade of 86, but fell short of an Olympic medal chance by 22 points.[2][5]

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Grabowski finished the Laser regatta steadily from a poor start to take the eleventh place overall with 125 points, trailing behind Spain's Luis Martínez by a five-point shortfall.[6][7]

Eight years after his Olympic debut, Grabowski qualified again for his third Polish squad, as a 30-year-old veteran, in the Laser class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Although he performed poorly at the 2007 ISAF World Championships, Grabowski had secured a selection on the Polish team through the assistance of IOC's Olympic Solidarity scholarship.[2][8] Unlike two of his previous Games, Grabowski failed to improve his Olympic feat with a surprising sixteen-place finish in a fleet of forty-three sailors at the end of ten-race series, giving him only a grade of 131.[9][10]

References edit

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Maciej Grabowski". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Grabowski: On The Victory Trail". ISAF. 30 June 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Maciej Grabowski mistrzem Europy w klasie Laser!" [Maciej Grabowski wins the European title in the Laser class!] (in Polish). 26 August 2001. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Wielki sukces w Kieler Woche" [The great success in Kieler Woche] (in Polish). Trójmiasto. 30 June 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Sydney 2000: Sailing – Men's Laser Class" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 131. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  6. ^ "Sailing: Mixed Laser Class". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Ateny 2004: Grabowski na 11. miejscu" [Ateny 2004: Grabowski finished 11th] (in Polish). Sport.pl. 22 August 2004. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Maciej Grabowski pojedzie do Pekinu" [Maciej Grabowski will go to Beijing] (in Polish). Sport.pl. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Beijing 2008: Men's Laser Class". Beijing 2008. NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Maciej Grabowski poza finałem" [Maciej Grabowski is out of finale] (in Polish). Fakty TVN. 18 August 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2015.[permanent dead link]

External links edit