Waldemar Legień
Two Olympic golds in two weight classes
- Born
- August 28, 1963, Bytom, Poland
- Nationality
Poland- Height
- 180 cm (5′11″)
- Style
- Drop seoi nage specialist
- Weight
- 78 kg, 86 kg
- Active
- 1983–1992
- Status
- Retired · age 63
The medals
2 Olympic golds in two weight classes, 3 world bronzes
The story
aldemar Legień, from Bytom in Silesia, never dominated a whole Olympic cycle, yet he produced his best judo on the two days that mattered most. At Seoul in 1988 the 78 kg favourite, Japan's Hirotaka Okada, went out early, and Legień met 1984 champion Frank Wieneke in a final between two drop seoi nage specialists; Legień's landed for ippon. Four years later, having moved up to 86 kg, he beat Canada's Nicolas Gill in the semi-final and out-gripped France's Pascal Tayot in the final, scoring with an opportunistic kosoto gake. That completed a rare Olympic double across two weight classes. He also won three world bronze medals and the 1990 European title, and became a respected coach after retiring.
Tap a technique with an arrow to learn how it works.
- Olympic champion, 78 kg (1988)
- Olympic champion, 86 kg (1992)
- European champion, 86 kg (1990)
- Order of Polonia Restituta (first awarded 1988)
Defining matches
- 1987LOSSvs Hirotaka Okada (World Championships; took bronze)
- 1988WINvs Frank Wieneke (Seoul Olympic 78 kg final, drop seoi nage ippon)
- 1992WINvs Nicolas Gill (Barcelona Olympic 86 kg semi-final)
- 1992WINvs Pascal Tayot (Barcelona Olympic 86 kg final, kosoto gake)
Legień's drop seoi nage beat a specialist at his own throw: drop under the opponent's centre while they are stepping forward, not while they are set. In grip-heavy matches like his 1992 final, stay ready for small counters such as kosoto gake when the opponent extends a leg.
