Tribute to Polish Ski Jumper Robert Witke Who Passed Away at 57

The ski community mourns the loss of Robert Witke, a former ski jumper who has sadly passed away at the age of 57. The news was announced by the Śnieżka Karpacz club on Saturday, September 7.

Witke represented Poland in various prestigious competitions, including the World Cup and the World Ski Flying Championships, and he earned accolades in national competitions.

In a heartfelt message shared on social media, the Śnieżka club stated, "A sad message: our colleague and longtime member of the Śnieżka club, Robert Witke, has passed away. He will forever remain in our memories and in the sports team."

Robert Witke's competitive journey began to take shape in 1985 when he participated in the Junior World Championships in Taesch, finishing 14th in the individual event and helping his team secure a 7th place finish. That same year marked his World Cup debut in Chamonix. Early in 1986, he competed in the World Ski Flying Championships at Kulm, but finished 36th, which was not his best showing.

His most notable accomplishment came in 1990 when he won a bronze medal at the Polish Championships held at the Średnia Krokiew in Zakopane while competing for the LKS Skrzyczne Szczyrk club. Remarkably, he chose to retire just a year later. In recognition of his contributions to the sport, he was awarded a silver badge for "services to sport" by the Minister of Sport in 2007.

Additionally, it's worth noting that Robert Witke was the son of Ryszard Witke, himself a distinguished skier who competed in the Olympics twice (1964 and 1968) and took part in the Four Hills Tournament as well as the World Championships.