Benjamin Kleibrink
Benjamin Kleibrink (born 30 July 1985 in Dusseldorf ) is a former German fencer. His biggest success Kleibrink at the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing by winning the gold medal. Kleibrink is the first German single Olympic champion in the men's foil weapon.
His hitherto greatest successes were the Junior World Champion title at the Junior World Championship 2005 in Linz / Austria, European vice- championship in singles and the European Championship title with the team (along with Peter Joppich, Dominik Behr and Christian Schlechtweg ) at the Fencing European Championships 2007 in Ghent / Belgium, as well as the bronze medal in the individual after a defeat against his training partner and eventual champion Peter Joppich in the semifinals of the world Fencing Championships 2007 in Saint Petersburg.
Life
Benjamin Kleibrink was born in 1985 in Dusseldorf, where he was a pupil of the Archbishop of St. Ursula High School, where he graduated from high school in 2005. Since 2006, he studied sports science at the German Sport University Cologne, after he had completed his military service as a sports soldier. Already in school and adolescence, he gained many achievements, he was, among other German champion in the A- youth and juniors. Since 2003, he joined the OFC Bonn, before he fought for the FC Moers (1999-2003 ) and the TG Neuss (1994-1999 ). In November 2008, Kleibrink left the OFC Bonn and starts from February 2009 for FC Tauberbischofsheim. He trains remain under federal and Home trainer Uli fright at the base of Bonn.
The left-hander won several World Cup tournaments, including winning in 2006 and 2007, the traditional Grand Prix tournament in Paris and in 2005 and 2008 German Masters. In the 2006 World Cup in Turin / Italy, he finished fifth after a defeat against his training partner and eventual champion Peter Joppich. At the 2005 World Championships in Leipzig, he brought with the team (along with Peter Joppich, Dominik Behr and Ralf Bißdorf ) the bronze medal. The runner-up title, he secured with the team at the World Championships in Turin in 2006 ( with Richard Breutner instead Ralf Bißdorf ), 2007 in St. Petersburg / Russia ( with Christian Schlechtweg instead of Richard Breutner ) and 2008 in Beijing / China ( once again with Richard Breutner rather than Christian Schlechtweg ).
In July 2007, Benjamin Kleibrink was chosen by the German Sports Aid Foundation in collaboration with the football athlete of the month.
At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing Kleibrink won the gold medal in foil individual. In the final he defeated the Japanese Yūki Ōta with 15:9 hits and so won the first German Olympic fencing title since 1992 and the first in an individual since 1988. Previously, Benjamin Kleibrink had turned off the Chinese Zhu Jun and Lei Sheng in the semifinals and in the quarterfinals. His final opponent Ōta had beaten before the quarter-finals the other German favorites Peter Joppich. With the team he won in the men's foil at the 2012 Olympic Games bronze. After the 2012 Olympics Benjamin Kleibrink declared at the age of 27 years, his retirement from competitive sports.
Honors
2008 Benjamin was named " Sportsman of the Year " by North Rhine -Westphalia awarded the " Felix".
Achievements
Individual successes
- Bronze: Junior World Championship in Plovdiv
- Gold: World Junior Championships in Linz
- Bronze: European Junior Championships in Espinho
- Bronze: European Championships in Izmir
- Gold: Grand Prix "Challenge drum " in Paris
- Bronze: World Championships in St. Petersburg
- Silver: European Championship in Ghent
- Gold: Grand Prix "Challenge drum " in Paris
- Gold: Olympic Games in Beijing
- Silver: European Championship in Legnano
Team success
- Bronze: World Cup in Leipzig
- Silver: World Championships in Turin
- Silver: World Championships in St. Petersburg
- Gold: European Championship in Ghent
- Silver: Team World Cup in Beijing
- Bronze: Olympic Games in London