Robert Maćkowiak, Polish sprinter
Robert Maćkowiak (born 13 May 1970 in Rawicz, Wielkopolskie) is a former Polish sprinter. Together with Tomasz Czubak, Jacek Bocian and Piotr Haczek he won the gold medal in 4 x 400 metres relay at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics. Maćkowiak has also won other relay medals as well as individual medals in the 200 metres and 400 metres.
He belonged to the most famous and successful Polish relay team in the 1990s together with Tomasz Czubak, Piotr Haczek and Piotr Rysiukiewicz. Numerous injuries prevented them from joining the best relays of all time. The worst disaster happened in the Olympic Games in Sydney. The Polish team was one of the favourites to win a medal (after unstoppable U.S. really there were two main rivals: Jamaica and Bahamas). On the second leg (on the first ran Rysiukiewicz) Maćkowiak was leading, but he ran into a starting box (Polish team ran on the eighth lane) and Poland lost their medal chances. The relay finished seventh in the competition. Maćkowiak also competed in the individual race in which he finished fifth.
Maćkowiak was also one of the favourites in the World Championships in Edmonton 2001). His main rival was German runner Ingo Schultz who had best times in qualification runs. Maćkowiak was a candidate for silver but he got an injury a few days before final and he lost all medal chances. He also didn't start in the relay run which took place a few days after individual start.
He officially retired at the end of the 2006 season.
![Robert Maćkowiak](https://cdn.calendarz.com/uploads/events/may/13/45430/robert-mackowiak_compressed.jpg)
1970May, 13
Robert Maćkowiak
Choose Another Date
Events on 1970
- 12Jan
Nigerian Civil War
Biafra capitulates, ending the Nigerian Civil War. - 28Apr
Richard Nixon
Vietnam War: U.S. President Richard Nixon formally authorizes American combat troops to fight communist sanctuaries in Cambodia. - 5Sep
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam War: Operation Jefferson Glenn begins: The United States 101st Airborne Division and the South Vietnamese 1st Infantry Division initiate a new operation in Thừa Thiên-Huế Province. - 28Sep
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser dies of a heart attack in Cairo. Anwar Sadat is named as Nasser's temporary successor, and will later become the permanent successor. - 8Oct
Richard Nixon
Vietnam War: In Paris, a Communist delegation rejects US President Richard Nixon's October 7 peace proposal as "a manoeuvre to deceive world opinion".