František Reich was the son of a wealthy businessman who lost everything during Czechoslovakia’s communist nationalization process. The younger Reich took up rowing after World War II and made his début at the Olympics in 1952 in Helsinki, where he was eliminated in the semifinals repêchage. Shortly thereafter he switched to the double sculls and won a silver medal in that event at the 1955 European Championships, alongside Albert Krajmer. In 1956 that duo took bronze at the Europeans and also competed at the Melbourne Olympics, but were eliminated in the round one repêchage. Following his retirement from active competition, Reich worked as a rowing coach and administrator and, in 1989, was elected chairman of the Slovak Rowing Association.
Czechoslovakia
Slovakia