Rudolf Klaban

Middle distance runner Rudolf Klaban won 23 Austrian titles, in the 800 metres (1959-1964,1966), 1500 metres (1957, 1960-68), 5000 metres (1966-68), cross country (1967), and 4×400 relay (1961 and 1962). During the 1960s he represented his country at three editions of Olympic Games from 1960 at Rome to 1968 at Mexico-City. Klaban did not manage to reach an Olympic final in either the 800 or 1,500 metres. The same happened to him at the 1958 and the 1966 European Championships. He was more successful at the Summer Universiade, winning a silver and two bronze medals.

After a few years as a gymnastics and geography teacher at his former high school in Döbling, Klaban moved to the Institute of Sports Sciences at the University of Wien (Vienna) and taught around 7,000 students in the years that followed, making him an institution in Austria’s sports world.

Personal Bests: 800 – 1:47.4 (1964); 1500 – 3:41.4 (1968).