Raymond Mulinghausen

All-round sportsman Raymond Mulinghausen played football, boxed, and took part in diving, excelling in the latter. A 20-time French champion, Mulinghausen was scheduled to take part at the later cancelled 1940 Olympics in Tokyo, but joined the Paris Fire Brigade instead. Cited for many acts of bravery during the war, he eventually returned to diving in the mid-1940s, competing at the English Championships in 1946.

One year later Mulinghausen suffered an injury to his pectoral muscle at a competition in Monaco, but despite the pain, he eventually made his Olympic début at the 1948 Games in London. He competed in both the springboard and platform events, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively. In 1951 he took gold in the platform at the Mediterranean Games, before returning to the Olympics the following year. At the Helsinki Games his form had dropped off, with a best result of 17th coming in the platform event. Diving took a toll on Mulinghausen’s body with him suffering with multiple injuries, including perforated ear drums, a broken nose, and a dislocated shoulder. A broken collarbone sustained in an event in France in 1958 would ultimately put an end to his career. A decade later he was involved in a serious road accident that required more than 20 operations to fix his legs and knees.

Mulinghausen later served as a judge at the Olympics throughout the 1970s and 1980s, as well as at multiple editions of the World and European Championships. He also worked as a volunteer for the French Swimming Federation. Throughout his life he was honoured with multiple awards, including becoming a Knight of the National Order of Merit in 1986, followed by becoming an Officer of the National Order of Merit in 2005.