Marian Skubacz

Marian Skubacz was a Polish freestyle wrestler who competed as a bantamweight and a featherweight. Skubacz was a six-time national champion as a featherweight from 1982 to 1987. He won a silver medal at the 1981 World Wrestling Championships, and won a silver (1981) and two bronze medals (1986–87) at the European Championships.

Skubacz competed in the freestyle featherweight event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics but was eliminated after losing three out of four bouts in his group. After the Olympics he competed in West Germany, becoming the German champion in 1989. Sadly he spent more than 20 years of his life bedridden due to ALS (motor neuron disease / Lou Gehrig’s Disease) before succumbing to the disease in February 2023.

Skubacz had the following finishes at major championships – 1981 World Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (2nd); 1982 World Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (5th); 1983 World Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (10th); 1986 European Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (3rd); 1987 European Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (3rd); 1983 European Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (4th); 1984 European Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (4th); 1980 European Championship: 57.0 kg Freestyle (5th); 1982 European Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (5th); 1985 European Championship: 62.0 kg Freestyle (5th); 1978 European Championship: 57.0 kg Freestyle (6th).