Bartosz Kamil Kurek is a Polish opposite and one of the most accomplished volleyball players of his generation. Born on August 29, 1988, in Wałbrzych, he plays for Tokyo Great Bears in Japan’s SV.League and has represented the Poland Men’s National Volleyball Team since 2007. His career includes a World Championship title, two European championships, a Volleyball Nations League title, Olympic silver and major individual awards across both club and international volleyball.
Kurek’s defining international performance came at the 2018 FIVB Men’s World Championship, where he scored a tournament-leading 171 points, powered Poland to the title and was named MVP. He later became Poland’s captain in 2022, led the team through another World Championship final, a VNL-European Championship double in 2023 and its breakthrough Olympic silver medal at Paris 2024. After captaining Poland again at the 2025 World Championship, he chose to sit out the 2026 international season but has explicitly said that he has not ended his national-team career.
Player Information
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Bartosz Kamil Kurek |
| Date of Birth | August 29, 1988 |
| Born | Wałbrzych, Poland |
| Nationality | Polish |
| Position | Opposite |
| Former Position | Outside Hitter |
| Height | 205 cm |
| Weight | 104 kg |
| Spike Reach | 375 cm |
| Block Reach | 340 cm |
| Dominant Hand | Right |
| Current Club | Tokyo Great Bears |
| Club Number | 6 |
| National Team | Poland Men’s National Volleyball Team |
| Most Recent National-Team Number | 6 |
| National-Team Status | Taking the 2026 international season off; no retirement announced |
| Senior National Team Since | 2007 |
| @bartkurek88 |
Tokyo Great Bears currently lists Kurek at 205 cm and 104 kg, while Volleyball World competition profiles have used 207 cm. His club’s current 2026–27 information is used here for height and weight; an official CEV Poland roster has listed his spike reach at 375 cm and block reach at 340 cm. Tokyo also confirmed that his club number changed from No. 1 to No. 6 for 2026–27.
Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings
Kurek was born in Wałbrzych but developed as a player in Nysa, where volleyball was already part of his family environment. His father, Adam Kurek, was a professional volleyball player who appeared 84 times for Poland and played for the Nysa club where Bartosz would later begin his own senior career.
Kurek made his Polish top-division debut in 2004 at only 16 years old, playing for AZS PWSZ Nysa alongside his father. The following year he moved to Mostostal-Azoty Kędzierzyn-Koźle, the club now known as ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle.
International recognition arrived early as well. In 2005, Kurek helped Poland win the European youth championship and was named Best Spiker. He received his first senior national-team call-up at 19 and made his Poland debut in 2007. Two years later, he was already part of the team that won EuroVolley 2009.
That rapid progression made Kurek one of the most visible players of a Polish generation that would eventually spend well over a decade competing for medals at virtually every major international event.
Club Career
Breakthrough with PGE Skra Bełchatów
After three seasons in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Kurek joined PGE Skra Bełchatów in 2008. The move placed him inside Poland’s dominant club of the period and gave him regular exposure to Champions League and Club World Championship volleyball.
Skra won three consecutive Polish championships during Kurek’s first spell, in 2009, 2010 and 2011, as well as Polish Cups in 2009 and 2011. Internationally, the club took silver at the Club World Championship in both 2009 and 2010, with Kurek finishing the 2009 event as its Best Scorer.
Skra also reached the Champions League podium twice during the period, taking bronze in 2010 and silver in 2012. By the end of that run, Kurek had developed from a young outside hitter into one of Europe’s most prominent attacking players.
His club success coincided with a major rise for Poland. The same years brought EuroVolley gold in 2009, multiple international medals in 2011 and World League gold in 2012, making his first Skra period central to both his club and national-team development.
Russia and an Italian Championship with Lube
Kurek left Poland for the first time in 2012, joining Dynamo Moscow. His stay in Russia lasted one season before he moved to Italy and signed with Lube.
The 2013–14 campaign delivered another domestic championship. Kurek helped Lube win the Italian league title and remained with the club for a second season, adding the Italian Super Cup in 2014.
His years in Russia and Italy also came during a more difficult phase internationally. Despite being one of Poland’s most established attackers, Kurek was left out of the squad for the 2014 World Championship on home soil. Poland went on to win the title without him.
That exclusion became one of the major setbacks of his career. Rather than ending his place among Poland’s leading players, it eventually became part of the contrast with what happened four years later, when Kurek returned to the World Championship as Poland’s most influential scorer.
Resovia, Skra and a Difficult Period in Türkiye
Kurek returned to Poland with Asseco Resovia for 2015–16 before rejoining PGE Skra Bełchatów the following season.
In 2017, he signed with Ziraat Bankası Ankara. His Turkish season was interrupted by an Achilles tendon problem that kept him out for several months, but he returned during the second half of the campaign and helped Ziraat reach the 2018 CEV Cup final.
Ziraat finished runner-up to Belogorie Belgorod. The official CEV competition records place the Turkish club second in the tournament, with Belogorie winning the final.
Kurek then signed with Stocznia Szczecin for 2018–19, but the club’s financial crisis forced a midseason change. He moved to ONICO Warszawa and completed the campaign in Warsaw before returning to Italy with Vero Volley Monza for 2019–20.
The constant movement of this period contrasted sharply with the stability that followed in Japan.
Four Seasons with Wolfdogs Nagoya
Kurek joined Wolfdogs Nagoya in 2020 and spent four seasons with the Japanese club. The move developed into one of the longest and most productive club chapters of his career.
Wolfdogs reached the Japanese V.League final in 2022 but finished runner-up. One year later, the club returned to the final and defeated Suntory Sunbirds in straight sets to win the 2022–23 championship.
Kurek was central to the title. He scored 32 points in the championship match—27 attacks, four blocks and one ace—and was named MVP of the final.
Japan also became an important part of the later stage of his career because it allowed Kurek to continue carrying a large attacking workload while adapting his game as he moved further into his thirties. His offensive role remained substantial, but the way he produced points became increasingly based on reading the block and controlling attacking angles rather than relying entirely on raw physical dominance.
Returning to ZAKSA
Kurek returned to ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle for the 2024–25 season, nearly two decades after first joining the organization as a young player. ZAKSA also named him captain.
The homecoming had a difficult beginning. Kurek suffered an eye injury in the opening PlusLiga match in September 2024 and was forced to stop training and playing. He returned to team training in early November after being monitored by the club’s medical staff.
Once back, he became one of ZAKSA’s primary offensive players. The club later noted that he collected nine match MVP awards across the season, underlining how significant his contribution remained despite the early interruption.
His second ZAKSA spell lasted one season. In June 2025, he left Poland again and returned to Japan.
Tokyo Great Bears
Tokyo Great Bears signed Kurek for 2025–26. He immediately became the club’s principal scorer and completed the season with 766 points across 42 matches and 159 sets.
Those 766 points included 675 from attack, 70 from blocks and 21 from serve. He converted 46.1 percent of his attacks and also scored 266 points from back-row attacks, reflecting the extent to which Tokyo used him as a full-court offensive option.
Tokyo renewed Kurek for 2026–27 and announced that his number would change from No. 1 to No. 6, the number most closely associated with his Poland career. In the club’s official renewal announcement, Kurek said that both he and his wife had felt comfortable in Japan and that he wanted to help the Great Bears improve on the previous season.
Club Career Timeline
| Seasons | Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–2005 | AZS PWSZ Nysa | Poland |
| 2005–2008 | ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle | Poland |
| 2008–2012 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | Poland |
| 2012–2013 | Dynamo Moscow | Russia |
| 2013–2015 | Lube | Italy |
| 2015–2016 | Asseco Resovia Rzeszów | Poland |
| 2016–2017 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | Poland |
| 2017–2018 | Ziraat Bankası Ankara | Türkiye |
| 2018 | Stocznia Szczecin | Poland |
| 2018–2019 | ONICO Warszawa | Poland |
| 2019–2020 | Vero Volley Monza | Italy |
| 2020–2024 | Wolfdogs Nagoya | Japan |
| 2024–2025 | ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle | Poland |
| 2025–present | Tokyo Great Bears | Japan |
The current Tokyo Great Bears club history confirms the major stages of Kurek’s career, while Vero Volley’s 2019 signing profile documents the short Stocznia Szczecin period before his move to ONICO Warszawa.
National Team Career
European Champion and World League MVP
Kurek made his senior Poland debut in 2007 and quickly moved from prospect to major scorer.
His first major senior title came at EuroVolley 2009, when Poland won the European championship. Two years later, the team collected three significant medals in one international season: World League bronze, EuroVolley bronze and World Cup silver.
Kurek’s individual impact was already substantial. He was the Best Scorer of the 2011 World League and Best Server at EuroVolley 2011. In the European bronze-medal match against Russia, he scored 23 points as Poland won in five sets.
Poland took another step forward in 2012 by winning the World League. Kurek was named the tournament MVP, confirming his status as one of the leading attackers in international volleyball.
Missing 2014 and Rebuilding His International Career
The 2014 World Championship became a major interruption in Kurek’s trajectory. He was not selected for the final Poland roster and watched as the national team won the world title at home.
He returned to international competition afterward and helped Poland take silver at the 2015 World Cup, but another major disappointment followed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Poland reached the quarterfinals before losing to the United States in straight sets.
Kurek later described the Rio defeat as one of the most difficult moments of his career. He briefly considered stepping away from volleyball and did not complete a planned move to JT Thunders in Japan. Instead, he returned to PGE Skra Bełchatów and rebuilt his club form.
That recovery set up the most important tournament of his career.
World Championship MVP in 2018
Kurek entered the 2018 World Championship with Poland attempting to defend the title it had won without him four years earlier.
He became the central scorer of the campaign.
Kurek finished the tournament with 171 points, the highest total of any player. His biggest performances arrived when Poland’s margin for error was at its smallest: 29 points against the United States in the semifinal and 24 points in the straight-set victory over Brazil in the final.
Poland retained the world championship, and Kurek was named tournament MVP. The combination of the title, scoring crown and individual award made the tournament the defining competitive achievement of his career.
Later in 2018, he was also recognized by the CEV as Europe’s leading male volleyball player.
VNL MVP and a New Leadership Role
Kurek remained central to Poland during the next Olympic cycle. At the 2021 Volleyball Nations League, Poland reached the final and finished with silver behind Brazil.
The tournament produced another major individual award. Kurek and Brazil’s Wallace de Souza shared the VNL MVP honor, with both selected as opposites in the competition’s Dream Team.
Poland again reached the Olympic quarterfinals at Tokyo 2020 but failed to advance to the medal rounds. That repeated Olympic frustration remained one of the few major gaps in a career already filled with world and European success.
A leadership transition followed. After Michał Kubiak’s national-team retirement, Kurek became Poland’s captain in 2022. FIVB later described the move as a natural extension of the experience and responsibility he had accumulated across his career.
World Championship Silver in 2022
Poland returned to the World Championship final in 2022 with Kurek as captain.
The host nation reached the championship match in Katowice but lost to Italy, ending its attempt to win a third consecutive world title. Kurek nevertheless completed the tournament as one of its outstanding players and was named Best Opposite on the World Championship Dream Team.
The silver medal gave him World Championship podium finishes in consecutive appearances: gold and MVP in 2018, then silver and Best Opposite in 2022.
The 2023 VNL and EuroVolley Double
Poland produced one of its strongest international seasons in 2023.
The team first won the Volleyball Nations League, defeating the United States 3–1 in the final in Gdańsk. Kurek was the national-team captain during the tournament and lifted the trophy as Poland celebrated its first VNL championship.
Two months later, Poland added the European Championship. The final against reigning world champion Italy ended in a straight-set Polish victory in Rome, giving Kurek a second EuroVolley gold medal 14 years after his first.
The two championships also demonstrated the longevity of his national-team career. Kurek had moved from the young outside hitter of Poland’s 2009 European champion team to the veteran opposite and captain of another European champion side in 2023.
Paris 2024 and the Olympic Medal
Paris 2024 was Kurek’s fourth Olympic Games after London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
This time, Poland finally moved beyond the quarterfinal stage. The team reached the gold-medal match before losing to host France, securing an Olympic silver medal and ending Poland’s long wait for another men’s volleyball Olympic podium.
Kurek scored 71 points across six Olympic matches: 59 in attack, six from blocks and six from serve. He finished 12th among the tournament’s scorers.
For Kurek personally, the medal filled the most obvious gap in a career that already included world, European and World League/VNL titles.
World Championship Bronze in 2025
Kurek did not play in the 2025 VNL, with injury keeping him out while Jakub Kochanowski captained the team to the title.
He returned for the World Championship in the Philippines and resumed the captaincy. Wearing No. 6, Kurek started Poland’s opening match against Romania and scored 13 points in a straight-set victory. He later led Poland with 19 points against the Netherlands as the team completed pool play.
Poland advanced to the semifinals, lost to Italy and then defeated Czechia in the bronze-medal match. The result gave Kurek his third World Championship medal: gold in 2018, silver in 2022 and bronze in 2025.
Why Bartosz Kurek Is Not Playing for Poland in 2026
Kurek asked to sit out the entire 2026 international season after nearly two decades of repeated club-and-national-team schedules.
Poland did not include him in its 2026 squad, with head coach Nikola Grbić explaining that the veteran opposite was taking a year away from international volleyball and could potentially return.
Kurek later clarified that the break should not be interpreted as retirement. In September 2026, he said that he had needed the physical and mental space away from the national-team cycle but had not made a decision to end his international career. In another interview later that month, he continued to discuss Los Angeles 2028 as a possible goal, while stressing that any Olympic place would have to be earned on merit.
That distinction matters for his current status: Kurek is not playing for Poland in 2026, but his national-team career remains open.
Playing Style & Strengths
Kurek has spent much of his prime as an opposite, although his earlier career included substantial time as an outside hitter. The transition allowed teams to concentrate his attacking volume on the right side and back row while reducing the serve-reception responsibilities that had been part of his younger role.
At 205 cm with a listed 375 cm spike reach, Kurek can contact the ball well above the block and has spent much of his career as a high-volume option on difficult balls. He is particularly comfortable attacking from position two, from the back-row position one attack and from high out-of-system sets when the setter has limited alternatives.
Power has always been part of the profile, but his later-career game is more varied than simply attacking over the block. In a 2026 FIVB interview about his evolution as a player, Kurek explained that younger versions of himself depended more heavily on physical advantages, while experience taught him to search for better angles, weak points in the block and more efficient solutions.
That evolution is visible in the way he scores against organized defenses. Kurek can still finish at a high contact point, but he increasingly uses the hands of the blockers, changes direction late and manages difficult high balls instead of treating every attack as a power contest.
His jump serve has been another long-term weapon. The technique has produced important runs throughout his career and contributed six aces during the Paris Olympics and 21 during the 2025–26 SV.League season.
Kurek also provides meaningful blocking for an opposite. Tokyo’s 2025–26 statistics credited him with 70 blocks in 42 matches, a substantial scoring contribution for a player whose primary responsibility remained attack.
Leadership became increasingly prominent later in his career. He spent years as one of Poland’s main scorers before officially becoming captain in 2022, and his role gradually expanded from finishing rallies to managing difficult moments inside a national team accustomed to championship expectations.
Major Achievements
Selected National Team Honors
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | European Championship | Gold |
| 2011 | FIVB World League | Bronze |
| 2011 | European Championship | Bronze |
| 2011 | FIVB World Cup | Silver |
| 2012 | FIVB World League | Gold |
| 2015 | FIVB World Cup | Silver |
| 2018 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Gold |
| 2019 | FIVB World Cup | Silver |
| 2021 | Volleyball Nations League | Silver |
| 2021 | European Championship | Bronze |
| 2022 | Volleyball Nations League | Bronze |
| 2022 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Silver |
| 2023 | Volleyball Nations League | Gold |
| 2023 | European Championship | Gold |
| 2024 | Volleyball Nations League | Bronze |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Silver |
| 2025 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Bronze |
Selected Club Honors
| Year / Season | Team | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | Polish Championship | Champion |
| 2009 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | Polish Cup | Champion |
| 2009 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | FIVB Club World Championship | Runner-up |
| 2009–10 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | Polish Championship | Champion |
| 2010 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | FIVB Club World Championship | Runner-up |
| 2009–10 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | CEV Champions League | Bronze |
| 2010–11 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | Polish Championship | Champion |
| 2011 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | Polish Cup | Champion |
| 2011–12 | PGE Skra Bełchatów | CEV Champions League | Runner-up |
| 2013–14 | Lube | Italian Championship | Champion |
| 2014 | Lube | Italian Super Cup | Champion |
| 2017–18 | Ziraat Bankası Ankara | CEV Cup | Runner-up |
| 2021–22 | Wolfdogs Nagoya | Japanese V.League | Runner-up |
| 2022–23 | Wolfdogs Nagoya | Japanese V.League | Champion |
Selected Individual Awards
| Year | Competition / Organization | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | European Youth Championship | Best Spiker |
| 2009 | FIVB Club World Championship | Best Scorer |
| 2011 | FIVB World League | Best Scorer |
| 2011 | European Championship | Best Server |
| 2012 | FIVB World League | Most Valuable Player |
| 2018 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Most Valuable Player |
| 2018 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Best Scorer |
| 2018 | CEV | European Male Volleyball Player of the Year |
| 2021 | Volleyball Nations League | Co-Most Valuable Player |
| 2022 | FIVB Men’s World Championship | Best Opposite |
| 2023 | Japanese V.League Final | Most Valuable Player |
Personal Life & Leadership
Volleyball has been part of Kurek’s family life since childhood. His father, Adam Kurek, was a Polish international and was still playing for Nysa when Bartosz made his professional debut. That gave Kurek the unusual experience of entering senior volleyball alongside his father rather than simply following the same profession years later.
Kurek is married to Anna Kurek, formerly Anna Grejman, who also played professional volleyball and represented Poland. He has spoken publicly about the importance of her support during difficult periods in his career, including the pressure surrounding major international tournaments.
His 2026 Tokyo contract renewal also offered a small indication of how settled the couple had become in Japan. Kurek said that both he and his wife felt very comfortable there, one reason another season with the Great Bears appealed to him.
Leadership became more explicit as his career progressed. Kurek has described effective leadership as a balance between taking responsibility and being willing to listen to teammates. That philosophy became increasingly relevant after he inherited the Poland captaincy and began working with a national-team generation that included both long-time teammates and significantly younger players.
His official Instagram account, @bartkurek88, has also been directly identified through FIVB coverage of his career and leadership.
Where Is Bartosz Kurek Playing Now?
Kurek plays for Tokyo Great Bears in the 2026–27 SV.League season.
Tokyo renewed his contract in June 2026 after a first season in which he scored 766 points across 42 matches. The club also changed his jersey number from No. 1 to No. 6 for the new season.
The 2026–27 campaign is Kurek’s seventh season of club volleyball in Japan when his four Wolfdogs Nagoya seasons and two Tokyo Great Bears seasons are considered together. Japan has therefore become one of the defining locations of the later phase of his club career.
He is not competing with Poland during the 2026 international season. This is a planned break rather than a confirmed national-team retirement, and he has left open the possibility of returning in 2027 as the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle continues.
Recent Performance Snapshot
Kurek remained a very high-volume scorer during his first season with Tokyo Great Bears despite being 37 for most of the campaign.
| Competition | Matches | Total Points | Attack Points | Block Points | Service Aces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 SV.League | 42 | 766 | 675 | 70 | 21 |
| Paris 2024 Olympic Games | 6 | 71 | 59 | 6 | 6 |
His 2025–26 Tokyo season included 1,465 attacking attempts and a 46.1 percent attack success rate. He also scored 266 points from back-row attacks, showing that Tokyo continued to use him heavily behind the three-meter line rather than limiting his offense to front-row rotations.
At Paris 2024, Kurek averaged 11.83 points per match and scored 71 points as Poland reached the Olympic final. The tournament remains his most recent Olympic appearance and produced the first Olympic medal of his career.
His 2025 World Championship return added another global medal before the 2026 international break. Poland finished third, and Kurek remained captain and No. 6 during the tournament.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Bartosz Kurek?
Bartosz Kurek was born on August 29, 1988. He is 38 years old during the 2026–27 club season.
How tall is Bartosz Kurek?
Tokyo Great Bears lists Kurek at 205 cm, approximately 6-foot-9. Volleyball World has used 207 cm in some international competition profiles.
What position does Bartosz Kurek play?
Kurek plays primarily as an opposite. Earlier in his career, he also competed extensively as an outside hitter.
Which club does Bartosz Kurek play for?
Kurek plays for Tokyo Great Bears in Japan’s SV.League. He joined the club for 2025–26 and renewed for the 2026–27 season.
What number does Bartosz Kurek wear?
Kurek wears No. 6 for Tokyo Great Bears in 2026–27. He also wore No. 6 during his most recent major tournament with the Poland Men’s National Volleyball Team.
Is Bartosz Kurek still playing for Poland?
Kurek is not playing for Poland during the 2026 international season because he requested a year away from national-team competition. He has stated that he has not retired from international volleyball.
Was Bartosz Kurek captain of Poland?
Yes. Kurek became Poland’s national-team captain in 2022 and held the role through the 2025 World Championship cycle. He is on an international break in 2026.
How many Olympics has Bartosz Kurek played in?
Kurek has competed at four Olympic Games: London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Has Bartosz Kurek won an Olympic medal?
Yes. He won silver with Poland at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Did Bartosz Kurek win the World Championship?
Yes. Kurek won the 2018 FIVB Men’s World Championship with Poland and was named tournament MVP after finishing as the competition’s leading scorer with 171 points.
How many World Championship medals has Bartosz Kurek won?
Kurek has won three senior World Championship medals: gold in 2018, silver in 2022 and bronze in 2025.
Has Bartosz Kurek won the European Championship?
Yes. He won EuroVolley with Poland in 2009 and again in 2023.
What is Bartosz Kurek’s Instagram?
His official Instagram account is @bartkurek88.
References
- Tokyo Great Bears — Bartosz Kurek renews for the 2026–27 season
- Tokyo Great Bears — 2026–27 first-team roster
- Tokyo Great Bears — Bartosz Kurek signing announcement for 2025–26
- SV.League — Bartosz Kurek official player record
- Volleyball World — Bartosz Kurek 2025–26 SV.League statistics
- FIVB — Bartosz Kurek: Love for the game and country
- FIVB — Bartosz Kurek career feature
- FIVB — Bartosz Kurek: Making every experience count
- Volleyball World — Bartosz Kurek Paris 2024 Olympic profile and statistics
- Volleyball World — Bartosz Kurek and Wallace share the 2021 VNL MVP award
- Volleyball World — 2022 Men’s World Championship Dream Team
- Volleyball World — Poland win the 2023 Volleyball Nations League
- Volleyball World — Poland win EuroVolley 2023
- Volleyball World — Poland’s 2025 World Championship roster
- Volleyball World — Kurek returns for Poland at the 2025 World Championship
- CEV — 2018 CEV Cup final standings
- CEV — Belogorie defeat Ziraat Bankası in the 2018 CEV Cup final
- CEV — Bartosz Kurek official Poland roster measurements
- CEV — Bartosz Kurek leads Wolfdogs Nagoya to the 2023 Japanese title
- Vero Volley — Bartosz Kurek signs with Monza
- ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle — Bartosz Kurek returns to ZAKSA
- ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle — Bartosz Kurek leaves after the 2024–25 season
- TVP Sport — Poland’s 2026 squad and Kurek’s international break
- Przegląd Sportowy Onet — Bartosz Kurek on his national-team future
