Wotjek Czyz – sport and support

ByJames O'Brien

As a young man in Germany the world of Wojtek Czyz was abruptly upended on 11 September 2001. Playing his last amateur match before taking up a professional football (soccer) contract, he sustained a severe injury.

“I got a hit from a goalkeeper while playing football, and got an injury which caused what is called compartment syndrome. Unfortunately, the surgery and all the support from the hospital were done too late. And this is why my lower leg became necrotic, which means everything was dead.”

Because the damage extended through the joint, the procedure resulted in an above-knee amputation. At just twenty-one years old, standing on the precipice of a professional contract, Wojtek faced a profound psychological crisis.

The turning point came during rehabilitation three weeks post-amputation, when he met Roberto Simonazzi, a German sports therapist, former elite Paralympic athlete, and fellow above-knee amputee. Finding someone who truly shared his lived experience proved to be transformative. Wojtek notes the vital impact of this encounter:

“That was for me a game changer, that this guy knew exactly what he needed to tell me to open my eyes and take away these black demons out of my head, that my life was over, and simply open new doors for me. And the new door was Paralympic sport. Basically, six months after my amputation, I was already the German champion in the 100 metres and long jump.”

This pivotal mentorship instilled a philosophy that Wojtek carries forward today: that recovery is “all about perspective and all about belief.”

Recognising how crucial that initial guidance was, he shared in an interview for The Limb Shift podcast, he has dedicated a significant portion of his life to visiting hospitals, talking to fresh amputees, and lifting the heavy shroud of insecurity surrounding body image, mobility, and future prospects.

A Legendary Career in Paralympic Sport

From those astonishing beginnings just six months post-amputation, Wojtek rapidly ascended to the absolute pinnacle of international disabled athletics. Over his stellar competitive career representing Germany, he became one of the most recognisable and dominant figures in Paralympic track and field. He captured multiple Paralympic gold medals—shining brightly at the Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012 Games—while setting world records in the 100-metre sprint, 200-metre sprint, and the long jump.

Two years after losing his leg, Wojtek also pursued a degree in sports science, bridging his personal journey with rigorous biomechanical research. He explains:

“I did a lot of biomechanical research in regard to the movement of amputees, and especially in sprint or long jump. We did a lot of analysis, and even developed a blade together. So there was a lot of passion in it because I was part of the studies.”

Global Impact

Driven by a desire to share what he described as the privileged level of medical and prosthetic support he received in Germany with populations lacking similar resources, Wojtek and his wife, Elena Brambilla—a former professional high jumper—embarked on an extraordinary global humanitarian mission. They sold their possessions, built a catamaran equipped with a technical workshop, and sailed around the world to deliver custom-crafted mobility solutions for people with limb loss and limb difference.

Describing the impact of this venture, Wojtek shares:

“The best way to help is to be there, and to have the parts there with you… We gifted ninety prosthetics, mostly paid for by ourselves.”

Visiting nations across the globe allowed them to confront social stigmas head-on. Along the way, Wojtek set free-diving world records to challenge the perception that amputees safely enter the water.

Remembering the profound emotional weight of these interactions around the world, he recalls:

“Our first project was in Morocco, and the people there travelled around six hours on public transport from somewhere up in the mountains. I remember one kid got a prosthetic, and for the first time in his life, stood up on two legs. Everyone was crying.”

Pic supplied by Wotjek

New Horizons in Aotearoa / New Zealand

Stranded in New Zealand by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wojtek and his family ultimately put down roots in Eureka close to Cambridge. Alongside managing an export business for high-grade Mānuka honey tailored for high-performance athletes—developed in partnership with his wife, who studied herbal medicine and biotechnology—Wojtek turned his energy toward revitalising local parasport activation.

After settling in New Zealand, Wojtek picked up badminton from scratch in 2021. He rapidly built an impressive international resume on the Para Badminton World Circuit, winning gold in Men’s Doubles at the 2023 Oceania Championships and climbing to world number 12 in singles. This journey culminated in May 2024, when he became New Zealand’s first-ever Paralympic badminton representative at the Paris Games.

Driven by a desire for community activation rather than personal glory, Wojtek used the sport to raise the profile of parasports across Aotearoa. By stepping onto the court, he successfully established new competitive pathways and inspired a fresh generation of athletes to find their way into the game.

Pic supplied by Wotjek

Motivational Speaking and Future Initiatives

Looking back on a quarter-century living as an amputee, and summing up his core philosophy, which he hopes may be useful to other people with limb loss and limb difference, he says:

“You will face some situations where you think, ‘Oh, come on, why me?’ For me, the most important thing besides never give up is simply to be curious. You have to get the ability to laugh at yourself. So many funny things are happening; you can get frustrated, or you can laugh about it. And I am the one who’s laughing about it.”

Today, Wojtek channels his life into high-impact keynote and motivational speaking engagements worldwide, inspiring corporate teams, athletes, and individuals to reframe adversity through resilience, humour, and a shift in perspective. To connect with his ongoing projects, keynote bookings, and community initiatives, you can visit his official website at Project Wojtek: https://www.wojtek2024.co.nz/

Furthermore, continuing his life’s mission of supporting athletes, he is involved with innovative ventures like his startup platform, Match-me.org (http://match-me.org/), designed to guide professional athletes seamlessly through career transitions and dual-career development.

Pic supplied by Wotjek

This article is based on an interview with Wotjek which will be featured in The Limb Shift podcast, to be released in October 2026, and which is available on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and via https://thelimbshift.com/

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Am thinking about going to see some of the movies at the forthcoming French Film Festival, so I wrote to my friend, David and asked him for some advice (he’s French, you know!). He wrote

Just came back from an exhausting but fantastic ski vacation where I went down the French and Swiss slopes with enthusiasm under a wonderful sunshine ! After having a look on your website here are a couple I could recommend for you !

Monsieur Batignole is supposed to be excellent about the life in occupied Paris during the war, a man who hates jews finally decides to help two jewish kids, it s meant to be a great recreation of what life was then. L’idole I wanted to see that one and i would heartily recommend it too. Astérix et Cléopatre, now i wonder how that would translate !! It s really funny for us French and a huge success all over Europe, you might want to try it but it s Gaul humour ! Irréversible was cause of a great scandal cause of a very violent rape scene. Dont know much about this one though.

Plans for the night? I’ll watch “The Bill”. And then I’m planning on catching the train to the Lewisham Hotel. A few people I know have been involved in organising the hotel’s first gay night, hoping that it will take off where Caesar’s Hotel left off. According to Graeme’s email,

It’s called “Don’t Call Me Bitch!” and the ABBAMAIL gang has been intimately involved with developing and delivering the concept for the pub. Ask Ian, John “Frida” and myself came up with the original “Bitch” concept which then evolved into “Don’t Call Me Bitch!”. We decided on a look or “sell” for the night – I did the artwork for flyers that have been distributed at the Mardi Gras Fair Day and Parade night. John did the art for an advertisement in the Gay newspaper, SX. Ask Ian’s partner, Big Ian, has provided colour posters of various “bitches” including Barbra Streisand and Carol & Alice from the Brady Bunch. I am putting together a video to be played (without sound) on the big screen that will feature some classic “bitch” footage from movies and TV shows. Vanessa, the marketing manager at the Lewisham has organised for the bar manager from Caesars (now sadly departed inner-west Gay venue) to work on the evening and also for Gay friendly security. We’ve all put our heart and soul into this because we want to see our local pub be successful. And also because Vanessa has worked her arse off to try and make this a success.

Tomorrow – I must do some uni work!

Interview with Lismore legend, Arthur John Maloney

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“Thanks for coming and keeping the story alive”, I said to Ian and Lee at the end of their broadcast of ABC Radio’s “Australia All Over” from Coraki. “By and large people in Sydney have forgotten about the floods, and their eyes glaze over when I mention them”, I added.

Coraki is a town of about 1,000 people about half an hour’s drive from Lismore. Nowhere nearly as badly damaged by the floods as Lismore was, but the town was still heavily impacted, along with other neighbouring towns such as Woodburn.

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Behind the scenes crew for Australia All Over at Coraki
Interview with Lismore legend, Arthur John Maloney
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Though the program has its critics, “Australia All Over” remains an important program for ABC Radio, reaching a broad audience, and bringing the nation “together” on a Sunday morning.

“Macca” is at his best when he’s with a live audience. I’m sure his “showbiz appeal” goes back to his days as a musician. Later, he worked as a journalist, before taking over “Australia All Over”.

I first saw Macca before a live audience when he came to Renmark, my first ABC station. And today he was down the road from home, keeping the Northern Rivers flood stories alive, which made me very happy.

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Friday Night

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When you get a text message from a friend at 8.59am on a Friday that reads “Feel like a beer tonight?”, you just know it’s gonna be a big night.

I’d already arranged to catch up with Michaela for a late afternoon drink and chat at Yulli’s, my favourite small bar in Sydney.

And I’d written an email to Andrew the night before asking what he was up to over the weekend.

As it turns out, I don’t remember much about work, but I certainly remember a lot about catching up with friends tonight.

Enjoying the laser lights at The Clarence on Parramatta Road.

Michaela and I caught up, and, as usual, we had loads of fun chatting about life the universe and everything. “Shall we have another bottle?” seemed to be the phrase the most sums up the night. Also memorable was the halloumi, which, as per usual was excellent.

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There was much to discuss, much to joke about, and much fun to be had. Overall, a great night amongst the coolness of one of Sydney’s small bars, and the laser lights of The Clarence.

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Name in Lights

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Dance Central
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I’m the first to admit there was a slight sense of trepidation in our steps as we walked up the stairs of the venue of Cleveland Street offering Dance Classes.

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Being a little bit older (ok, a lot older), the three of us found it a little difficult to keep our feet firmly on the floor, as appears to be the custom for hip-hop dancing.

“I found the twirl the hardest bit”, said one of my colleagues.

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That said, there was a young bloke not far from me who was completely un-co.

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