Lechia Gdańsk (sports club)


Lechia Gdańsk is a Polish multi-sports club based in Gdańsk, Poland. Formed in 1945 the club held many different sections until 2002 when most of the teams started to operate as their own organisations. Those still part of the sport club and those who run independently often still hold the name Lechia.

Overview

Football

Men's football: KS Lechia Gdańsk - formed 1945
The most well known and supported section of the sports club has been the men's football team. The club currently play in Poland's top division, the Ekstraklasa.
Honours;
Ekstraklasa - 3rd place : 1956, 2018–19
Polish Cup - Winners : 1983, 2018–19
Runners-up: 1955
Polish SuperCup - Winners : 1983, 2019

Woman's football

Woman's football: Lechia Gdańsk Ladies - formed 2014
The woman's team was created after the sports club was dissolved in 2014. Originally called Biało-Zielone Gdańsk, since 2019 it been associated with the men's football team and took the name Lechia Gdańsk Ladies.

Men's rugby

Men's rugby: RC Lechia Gdańsk - formed 1956
The men's rugby team is the most successful section of the sports club. The club is the only in Poland to have never been relegated from the top division, and is the second most successful team in Poland's rugby history. The rugby team has two sections, Rugby union and Rugby sevens.
Honours:
Ekstraliga - Winners : 1960, 1961, 1970, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2012, 2013, 2014
Runners-up : 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2010, 2016
Third place : 1962, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015
Polish Cup: - Winners : 1977, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013
Honours:
Polish Sevens Championship - Winners : 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
Runners-up : 2009, 2017
Third place : 1996, 1997

Women's rugby

Women's rugby sevens: Biało-Zielone Ladies Gdańsk - formed 2009
The women's rugby sevens section was created in 2009 as RC Ladies Lechia Gdańsk in close connection with the men's team and other Lechia clubs. The section is the most successful in Poland's women's rugby sevens. The team separated from Lechia rugby and became Biało-Zielone Ladies Gdańsk.
Honours:
Polish Women's Sevens Championship - Winners : 2011, 2012, 2013, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
Runners-up: 2010
Third place: 2009

Athletics

Athletics club: Klub Lekkoatletyczny Lechia Gdańsk - formed 1945
The athletics club was created in 1945 and provided a way for the inhabitants of Gdańsk with better sporting opportunities. Athletes from KL Lechia Gdańsk have taken part in both the Olympics and World Championships.
Honours:
Lechia athletes have achieved results in the following sporting competitions;
Olympics - Gold medal: 1972 Summer Olympics, Władysław Komar
Bronze medal: 1960 Summer Olympics, Kazimierz Zimny
4th place: 1948 Summer Olympics, Mieczysław Łomowski
9th place: 1980 Summer Olympics, Bernadetta Blechacz
11th place: 1992 Summer Olympics, Katarzyna Radtke
12th place: 1956 Summer Olympics, Genowefa Minicka

Smaller sections

The Lechia Gdańsk sports club also included the following sections:
Basketball club: Baltia Gdańsk - formed 1945, dissolved 1946. The club was formed in 1945 when the sports club used the name Baltia and was dissolved before the sports club started to use the name Lechia later that year.
Boxing club: KS BOP Boks/Boks Lechia Gdańsk formed 1945, dissolved 1952. Formed in 1945 the club was dissolved a few months later. In January 1948 the section was reactivated before dissolving again in 1952 due to the merging of multiple boxing clubs in the Gdańsk area.
Cycling club: Klub Kolarski Lechia Gdańsk. Famous former riders include: Henryk Kowalski and Michał Bogdziewicz.
Hockey clubs: in its early years the Lechia sports club had sections for both field and ice hockey.
Tennis club: Gdańskie Towarzystwo Tenisowe Lechia Gdańsk.
Volleyball club: formed 1945, dissolved 1946.
Weightlifting club: part of KL Lechia Gdańsk.
Lechia Gdańsk also included clubs in handball, skiing, shooting, swimming, chess, table tennis, wrestling, and sailing.

Sections list