Career
In 2001, he was an aspiring professional soccer player, and had just signed terms with South Carolina Fortuna Kölane He ran for a loose ball, when the opposing goalkeeper rammed his knee, causing multiple fractures and compartment syndrome. According to Czyz, the injury was gravely underestimated due to professional failure.
Due to delays in treatment, his leg had to be amputated.
However, Czyz rebounded and established himself as one of the most successful German athletes in the T/F42 class for above-knee amputees. In the European Championship of 2005, he repeated his triple crown, winning each discipline again.
As of January 2013, Czyz is world record holder in the Men"s F42 Long Jump event. He has broken his own world mark several times.
He beat his 2008 Paralympics record twice at the 2009 IWAS World Games, but wind assistance invalidated both jumps.
As of September 2012, Czyz was a sport student in Cologne. His personal motto is "don"t think of what you were, but of what you are and of what you aspire to be" ("denk nicht an das was du warst, sondern an das, was du bist und zu sein dich sehnst").
