Pierre Haarhoff

In his youth Pierre Haarhoff was a good footballer but his physical education teacher suggested he should focus on track sprinting instead. While not his favourite sport, Haarhoff had impressive form as a runner and was eventually signed by RC Strasbourg, spending all his athletics career with the club. At a meet in Lille he was added to the 4 x 400 metres relay team where they won gold. He continued to have good results in the relay and 400 metres, setting a regional record in the latter to eventually earn himself a place on the French athletics team.

In 1954 Haarhoff won gold in the 4 x 400 metres at the European Athletics Championships along with compatriots Jacques Degats, Jean-Paul Martin du Gard, and Jean-Pierre Goudeau. The following year Haarhoff competed at the Mediterranean Games where he won another gold as part of the French relay quartet, along with a silver in the 400 metres. In 1956 he was crowned the national champion in the 400 metres and was selected to run at the Melbourne Olympics in both the 400 metres and the 4 × 400 metres relay. He won a second national title in the 400 metres in 1960 before retiring from the sport the following year. Haarhoff also studied at the Faculty of Medicine in Strasbourg and worked in his own medical practice for much of his later life.

Personal Best: 400 – 47.3 (1956).