Stanisław Kowalski
- Full name: Stanisław Kowalski
- Lifespan: (14.04.1910 – 05.04.2022)
- Age: 111 years, 356 days
- Birthplace: Rogówek, Russian Empire (now Rogówek, Gowarczów Municipality, Końskie County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland
- Last residence: Świdnica, Świdnica County, Lower Silesia Voivodeship, Poland
- Application date: 14.04.2020
- Validation date: 11.12.2022
- Validation source: Wacław Jan Kroczek/Zygmunt Worsa/Marek Baszak
Biography
Stanislaw Kowalski was born on 14 April 1910 in the village of Rogowek where he lived until the late 1930s. After his marriage, he moved to Brzeznica. In 1952, due to the broadening of the boundaries of the military training ground, he had to move out of his newly built house and live in Lower Silesia, in the village of Krzydlina Wielka where he ran a small farm and worked as a railroad lineman. He had been living in Swidnica since 1979. Kowalski comes from a long-lived family his mother lived to be 99. For several decades Kowalski rode to work on a bicycle regardless of the weather outside.
Career
On 10 May 2014, aged 104, Kowalski set the European record in 100m race at 32.79 s (in centenarian age category). No European centenarian man completed the run on such distance before him. However, Kowalski did not break the world record of Hidekichi Miyazaki of Japan set on 3 October 2010 with the result of 29.83 s. Nevertheless, Miyazaki was much younger when he set the world record – 100 years, 11 days old.
When he competed at the Polish Veterans Championships on 28 June 2015, in Torun, Poland he became the world’s oldest athlete. On that day, Kowalski ran the 100 metres in 34.50, threw the shot put 4.27 m (14 ft 0 in) and the discus 7.50 m (24 ft 71⁄4 in). By competing in those events, he surpassed the accomplishments of John Whittemore, who competed at 104 years 10 months. By virtue of his age being beyond 105 years old, he necessitates the creation of a new age division for World Masters Athletics, the M105 division of which he was the only member to have competed. Thus all of his performances are world records. M100 world record holder Hidekichi Miyazaki turned 105 on September 22, 2015 and two days later joined Kowalski as the second competitor in the division though Kowalski was 77 days older when he competed.
In 2019, he expressed will to compete again, but due to health issues, he resigned from his start.
Longevity
Kowalski credited his longevity to never going to the doctor and doing whatever he wants. He also said not to eat much during the evening. Kowalski became the oldest living man in Poland, following the death of 108-year-old Jozef Zurek on 20 March 2018. Shortly afterwards, on 14 April 2018, he turned 108. On 14 April 2019, he turned 109. On 24 February 2020, he had broken the Polish male longevity record set by Wlodzimierz Rogosz more than 30 years before – in 1989 – thus becoming the male longevity recordholder in Poland.
On 14 April 2020, Kowalski turned 110, becoming the first non-emigrant male supercentenarian in the history of Poland.
On 26 January 2021 at the age of 110, he received the COVID-19 vaccine, making him one of the oldest known people to receive the vaccine.
On 14 April 2021, Kowalski turned 111, becoming the first man in Poland who reached such age. On that day, he was visited by Waclaw Jan Kroczek, GRG-Poland Correspondent, who presented him an honorary GRG certificate.
Kowalski became the oldest living person in the world notable for reasons other than longevity, following the death of 113-year-old Ruth Apilado on 15 August 2021. Kowalski also became the oldest living man in Europe, following the death of 112-year-old Saturnino de la Fuente Garcia of Spain on 18 January 2022. However, he was not the oldest living European-born man, as Italian-born Delio Venturotti of Brazil was older.
Following the death of 111-year-old Joanna Lipinska on 6 March 2022, Kowalski became the last surviving Polish person born in 1910.
Kowalski died in Swidnica, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland on 5 April 2022 at the age of 111 years, 356 days, just nine days shy of his 112th birthday. Following his death, 111-year-old Andre Boite became the oldest known living man in Europe.
At the time of his death, he was the fifth-oldest known living man in the world, behind Juan Vicente Perez Mora, Delio Venturotti, Eusebio Quintero Lopez, and Efrain Antonio Rios Garcia.
Stanisław Kowalski with Waclaw Jan Kroczek, GRG-Poland and Nordic Countries Correspondent during the scientific age validation work.
Longevity Recognition
- Oldest living man in Lower Silesia Voivodeship
- Doyen of Poland (20.03.2018 – 05.04.2022)
- Oldest living man in Europe (18.01.2022 – 05.04.2022)
- Male Longevity Recordholder of Poland (2020-present)
Validation
The age of Stanisław Kowalski was verified by Wacław Jan Kroczek, GRG Correspondent for Poland and Nordic Countries, Zygmunt Worsa, and Marek Baszak, and the Kowalski family and validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) on 11 December 2022.
Stanisław Kowalski at age 104.
Stanisław Kowalski on his 105th birthday.
Stanisław Kowalski at age 106.
Stanisław Kowalski at age 107.
Stanisław Kowalski at age 108.
Stanisław Kowalski at age 109 together with mayor of Świdnica Beata Moskal-Słaniewska, and Zygmunt Worsa,
Stanisław Kowalski at age 110.
Stanisław Kowalski receiving COVID-19 vaccine in January 2021.
Stanisław Kowalski at age 111.
Stanisław Kowalski at age 111.
