The oldest man in Poland dies at the age of 112

The Mayor of Świdnica, Beata Moskal-Słaniewska, informed about the death of Stanisław Kowalski on social media. "I just can't believe this. We were very fond of each other. It was impossible not to be fond of Him... Mr Stanisław Kowalski passed away a few days before his 112th birthday" - the mayor wrote.

Plenty of comments appeared under the mayor's Facebook post, mainly condolences addressed to the family of Mr Kowalski. But there were also many warm words about the man himself. "Beautiful age, and Stanisław will stay in the memory and hearts of many," Judyta wrote. "He lived beautifully, to the fullest," Violetta added. "A very good, wise and lovely man. We will miss you Staś," Anna wrote.

In 2014, when Stanisław Kowalski was 104 years old, he finished a 100-metre dash in 32.79 seconds. Although it wasn't enough to beat the world record, he achieved the best result in Europe in his age category. He announced his retirement from sports in March, 2016.

On his 111th birthday, the oldest living male in Poland was visited by the deputy county mayor and a member of Gerontology Research Group, an international non-profit organisation which focuses on researching human aging process.

Not only was there a special cake dedicated to the 111-year-old, but he also got a special sport shirt with his name and age written on the back.

Furthermore, he received an official certificate. The document confirms that Stanisław Kowalski was the oldest resident of Lower Silesia, the oldest male living in Poland, as well the third-oldest man in Poland and fourth-oldest living European. At the time, he was also one of the 13 living males on the planet.