Andreas Keller

Field hockey player Andreas Keller participated in three consecutive Olympic Games, winning silver medals at Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988, representing West Germany. In 1984 the team lost the final 2-1 after extra time against Pakistan, and in 1988 Great Britain won the gold medal after a 3-1 win. At Barcelona in 1992, the now re-unified German team won the final against Australia 2-1 and earned the gold medal. Therefore, the team and all players were awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award.

Keller was World Youth Champion in 1982 and in 1991 won the European Championships. He was European Indoor Champion in 1984 and 1988, and also won bronze medals at the 1986 and the 1987 Europeans. He also won the Champions Trophy in 1986-88 and 1991-92. In total, he won 226 (including 28 indoor) international caps between 1983-93.

Domestically, Andreas Keller played with Berliner HC, and later turned to coaching at his home club. In 2005, he was the coach of the women’s team that won the German Championship.

Keller’s grandfather Erwin was the first member of a famous German hockey dynasty. Andreas’ mother Helga Akermann also played in the national team, as did his father Carsten, as well as his stepsisters Natascha and Florian (also national football player and wife of Florian Navina Omilade). Andreas’ long-time partner Anke Wild and his later wife Louisa Walter also were national players. The Keller family is only the third to see three generations win Olympic medals after the Norwegian Lunde family of sailors, and the Hungarian Bogen/Gerevich fencing dynasty.