Born in Nowy Kościół, he made his international debut as an under-20 athlete, finishing eighth at the 1977 European Athletics Junior Championships. He had his first successes at the Polish outdoor national championships, where he won the shot competition in 1979 and 1980. He lost his title to Janusz Gassowski the following year but rebounded in 1982, taking both the outdoor and indoor shot put titles. That year he finished eleventh at both the 1982 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the 1982 European Athletics Championships. He also extended his personal best over the 20-metre mark for the first time, closing the season with a best of 20.64 m set in Warsaw.