Piotr Gruszka | |||||||
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Personal information | |||||||
Full name | Piotr Łukasz Gruszka | ||||||
Nickname | Grucha | ||||||
Nationality | Polish | ||||||
Born | Oświęcim, Poland | 8 March 1977||||||
Height | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | ||||||
Coaching information | |||||||
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Volleyball information | |||||||
Position | Outside hitter / Opposite | ||||||
Career | |||||||
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National team | |||||||
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Honours |
Piotr Łukasz Gruszka (born 8 March 1977) is a Polish professional volleyball coach and former player. He was a member of the Poland national team from 1995 to 2011. A participant in the Olympic Games (Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008), and the 2009 European Champion.
Piotr Gruszka was born in Oświęcim, but raised in Kęty. He is married to Aleksandra (née Szettel). They have two children: daughter Maria Aleksandra (born 26 August 2005) and son named Julian (born 1 March 2010).
In 2014, he took part in the 14th season of Polish version of Dancing with the Stars. His pro dancer was Nina Tyrka. They were eliminated as 8th couple and took 5th place.
Piotr Gruszka was a member of the Polish national team that won a silver medal at the 2006 World Championship. In 2009, Gruszka won a gold medal of the European Championship, where he was named the Most Valuable Player. On 14 September 2009, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of Polonia Restituta.[1] The Order was conferred on the following day by the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk. With his national team, he won two bronze medals in 2011: of the 2011 World League and 2011 European Championship.[2]