Janusz Sidło

Janusz Sidło

Janusz Sidlo in 1974
Personal information
Born	19 June 1933 Katowice, Poland
Died	2 August 1993 (aged 60) Warsaw, Poland
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	93 kg (205 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event	Javelin throw
Club	Baildon Katowice, Spójnia Gdańsk, Spójnia Warszawa
Achievements and titles
Personal best	86.22 m (1970)
Medal record Representing Poland Olympic Games 1956 Melbourne Javelin throw European Championships 1954 Bern Javelin throw 1958 Stockholm Javelin throw 1969 Athens Javelin throw

Janusz Sidło (19 June 1933 – 2 August 1993) was a Polish javelin thrower. He competed at the 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, and 1968 Olympics and finished in 18th, 2nd, 8th, 4th and 7th place, respectively. He was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and later the Knight's Cross. During his long career Sidło won 14 national titles and competed in five European Championships (1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, and 1969), winning them in 1954 and 1958 and medalling in 1969.

In October 1953, Sidło set a new European record at 80.15 m in Jena, and in June 1956, he set a world record at the 83.66 m in Milan. He went to the 1956 Summer Olympics as a favourite, and was equipped with a modern javelin made of steel, while most of his competitors still used wooden ones. Sidło led the competition with a throw of 79.98 m, but then lent his javelin to his poorly performing friend, Egil Danielsen from Norway. Danielsen set a new world record at 85.71 m and won the gold medal.