Gerhard Hetz

Gerhard Hetz ( born July 13, 1942 in Hof, † 19, 2012 in Barra de Navidad ) was a German swimmer and swimming coach. He could ever win an Olympic silver and bronze medal. During his career he won two world records, eleven European records and 43 German records. His protégés brought a total of 31 medals at major international championships.

Success as a swimmer

At the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 1964 Hetz reached about 400 m Individual Medley bronze medal behind the American swimmers Richard Roth and Roy Saari. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay ( with Horst -Günther Gregor, Frank Wiegand and Hans- Joachim Klein ), he won the silver medal behind the season of the United States. He also held for a time the European record in the 200m freestyle.

In the sixties, he was in Germany 's best swimmers in the documents and freestyle swimming. Between 1960 and 1966 he won a total of 27 German league titles. About 1500 m freestyle, he was undefeated 1959-1964 in Germany. In the years 1962 and 1963 he was elected to Germany's Sportsman of the Year.

Success as a coach

After his career as a swimmer was Hetz coach of the swimming teams of blue and white Bochum, SSF Bonn (1968-1975) and SV Rhenaniastraße Cologne ( 1975-1991 ). His most successful students were Werner lamp ( third Olympic 1972 200m freestyle ) and Rainer Henkel (double world champion in 1986 in the 400m and 1,500 m freestyle ). One of his greatest talents was Peter Sitt from Kerpen, the Hetz in Seoul prophesied a gold medal in the 200 m freestyle at the 1988 Olympic Games. Hetz was mistaken, however, was the Australian Olympic champion Duncan Armstrong in a new world record, Michael Gross was named best German Fifth and Sitt could not qualify for the final.

As a coach, Hetz was not without controversy. He was considered a " grinder ", who had to train many miles in the basin his charges. Even with the officials Hetz was not always popular; after one of his athletes, Wilfried coolers, was not nominated for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, he called his lawyers. After his successful time as a club coach 1997 he was coach at the Olympic Training Center Cologne / Bonn / Leverkusen.

Private

Gerhard Hetz lived until his death with his family in Mexico and operating in Barra de Navidad, the " Delfin ".