The Polish Sports Personality of the Year (Polish: Plebiscyt PrzeglÃÂ du Sportowego na najlepszego polskiego sportowca roku) is chosen annually since 1926 by the readers of the newspaper PrzeglÃÂ d Sportowy, which makes it the second oldest such contest in the world. The winner is the sportsperson, judged by a public vote, to have achieved the most in the previous year.
The first winner of the award was track and field athlete Wacà Âaw Kuchar. Between 1939 and 1947, the contest was not held due to the Second World War. The most successful athletes in the contest's history are footballer Robert Lewandowski and swimmer Otylia JÃÂdrzejczak with three titles each; track and field athletes Irena Szewià Âska and Stanisà Âawa Walasiewicz, as well as ski jumper Adam Maà Âysz with four titles each; while cross-country skier Justyna Kowalczyk is the current leader who holds five titles. Fencer Jerzy Pawà Âowski holds the record number of eleven appearances among the top 10 athletes. As of 2024, the award has been given to 59 male and 30 female athletes.
Apart from the main award, winners are announced in additional categories such as Super Champion Lifetime Achievement Award, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year, Sport Without Barriers Award for disabled athletes and Sporting Event of the Year.