Toni Merkens

Nicholas Anton " Toni" memorizing ( born June 21, 1912 in Cologne, † June 20, 1944 in Wildbad ) was a German racing cyclist. In 1936 he became Olympic champion in the sprint.

Cycling career

Memorizing trained as a mechanic at Fritz Köthke, one of his well-known time- frame building in Cologne. In 1933, he won his first national title in the sprint. In 1934 he was able to repeat this success and also won at the British Open Championships and the Grand Prix de Paris. In the track world championships in the same year in Leipzig, he finished fourth. In 1935, he won the championship again in the sprint of Germany and the UK and the Paris Grand Prix.

At the World Championships 1935 in Brussels memorizing could also win the title, as he defeated the Dutchman Arie van Vliet 2-1 runs in the final. 1936 was at the Olympic Games in Berlin memorizing after a successful season in 1935 as a favorite. In the final he again met on van Vliet. Memorizing won both races, but the Dutch laid against the validity of the first run, a protest because memorizing van Vliet has impeded. The jury decided that the course should be counted, but memorizing must pay a fine of 100 gold francs for leaving the driving line.

Immediately after the 1936 Olympic Games memorizing stepped over to the professional. 1937 and 1939 he became German Vice Champion in the sprint. In 1940 he became German champion of Stayers, 1941 runner-up; 1942 memorizing was then also in the pros German champion in sprint and again runner-up in the posts.

Death in hospital

1942 memorizing was drafted. On the eastern front, a piece of shrapnel hit him between the heart and lungs. In 1944 he fell ill in a hospital in Wildbad to meningitis and died.

Commemoration

In Munich's Olympic Park of Toni- memorizing walk from the Olympic Stadium leads to the velodrome; the velodrome, which is now used as an event arena, has the address of Toni- memorizing - way 4 Before Radstadion Cologne the "Olympia oak " is reminiscent of memorizing, which he had given to his Olympic victory and planted there themselves. A memorial stone bearing the inscription " waxes for honor, call for further action," which was built in 1948, commemorates him.

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