Thomas Brinkmann and his brother Dirk were members of the West German field hockey team that won the silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, after losing to Great Britain 3-1 in the final. Brinkmann won 99 international caps (including five indoor) between 1987-95. He was European Indoor Champion in 1991 and 1994, and won the Champions Trophy in 1995.
Domestically, Brinkmann played with THC Uhlenhorst Mülheim, winning the German Championships eight times between 1985 and 1995 (also the indoor title in 1987), and the European Champions Cup eight times in a row 1988-95. Another brother, non-Olympian Marc, also played field hockey at Mülheim, and their mother Margret Kreienberg was German ladies doubles tennis champion. Thomas Brinkmann later owned a heating and plumbing company in his hometown, Mülheim.
West Germany