Eric Hänni

Eric Haenni ( born December 19, 1938 in Delsberg ) is a Swiss judoka and winner of an Olympic silver medal in 1964.

Sports career

Haenni began his career at JC Delemont and joined Nippon Zurich, with both teams, he also won the Swiss team title. He won his first Masters 1959 title in the lightweight, the former weight below 68 kg. In 1964 he won the bronze medal at the Judo European Championships and won his third title after 1962 at the Swiss Championships. With the Olympic debut in Judo Haenni won his first four bouts, reaching the finals against the Japanese Takahide Nakatani. The Japanese won after 1:15 and won the first gold medal in Olympic judo, Haenni won the silver medal, which triggered a judo boom in Switzerland.

From 1965 onwards there were new weight classes in judo and Haenni won his first title in 1965 in the U -70 kg category. After two more titles in 1969 and 1970, he won in 1971 in the class below 80 Kg His last medal at the Swiss Championships received Haenni in 1974 with a bronze medal in lightweight.

Haenni worked as a judo coach in Bern already in the 1960s; later, he was internationally active as a referee.