On January 15, 1946, it was the beginning of the development of academic sport at the Mikołaj-Kopernik University in Toruń. At that time, on the strength of the decision of the Rector of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, the university club of the Academic Sports Association of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń was established. The first management board of AZS has established the survival of sports sections: athletics, rowing, sailing, volleyball, basketball, tennis, handball, table tennis, boxing, shooting, chess, fencing, ski, ice hockey, and gliding.
The Academic Sports Association is the largest sports association in Poland that has been operating continuously for over 100 years. The first AZS was established in Krakow in 1909 and from there it has just spread to all academic centers in the country. Today’s Academic Sports Association is an association with nearly 40,000 members associated in over 250 sports clubs, training in nearly 3 thousand. sports section
Torun academics have repeatedly performed at the Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships and other world-class empires. Undoubtedly the most titled section is the rowing section, whose competitors represented Poland at five consecutive Olympics. Azattiates fought for the Olympic laurel in Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), Athens (2014), Beijing (2008).
It should be emphasized, however, that as early as 1960, an AZS UMK basketball player, Ryszard Olszewski, was appointed to the Olympic team. At the Olympics in Rome, the Polish national team took 7th place. Hard Gingerbreads, AZS UMK Toruń team, owes their successes to Edward Kuczy, the team’s creator and long-time coach. The first steps in the central academy’s games have already been made in 1951. In the 1994/1995 season, the team led by Ryszard Szczechowiak advanced to the first league (then I league). Team AZS UMK Elana Toruń in the years 1995-1997 occupied successively in the top league: VI, VIII, VI, VII. The unquestionable success of academic and coach Ryszard Szczechowiak was the second place in the Polish Cup. The AZS UMK PBDI Toruń team, trained by Maciej Deręgowski and Tomasz Lipiński, continues the traditions of dorms and plays matches in the second division.
AZS UMK Toruń, apart from these two most successful sections, is also present on the floors of the men’s handball league, men’s futsal, men’s volleyball league and in two provincial chess leagues.
AZS UMK Toruń – competitive sport – more in Polish
AZS UMK Toruń – academic sport
The over 70-year-old tradition of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń is inextricably linked to the tradition of academic sport, implemented as part of the Academic Sports Association of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Since 1946, the university enables balanced scientific and physical development of students within many sports sections of the AZS UMK Toruń, representing the University at the provincial and Academic Championships of Poland.
The coaches of the AZS UMK Toruń academic sections carry out training programs in 23 sports disciplines, successfully competing in the Academic Polish Championships and the Academic Championships of Pomerania and Kujawy.
In the last academic year, the University took first place in provincial competition, reaching the laurels of the most fashionable university of Pomerania and Kujawy. During the Academic Polish Championships our representatives took part in 35 competitions, placing 35th in the general classification. The points gained allowed to occupy 12th place among universities in Poland.
AZS UMK Toruń – sports sections – more in Polish