Karl Hein

Hammer thrower Karl Hein won the gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics just ahead of his teammate Erwin Blask, and also won at the European Championships two years later in Paris. He had already finished his active career after his marriage in the beginning of the 1930s, but then watched a film about the 1932 Los Angeles Games, and decided to start training again. Domestically he won German Championships in 1936-38 and 1946-47. He was active until the end of the 1950s and still had remarkable results in the late 1950s, placing second at nationals in 1956. In 1938 he set two new world records with 57.22 and 58.24.

In 1962 Hein was awarded the Rudolf-Harbig-Gedächtnispreis (Memorial Award). One month after his 74th birthday he died from a stroke. His son Karl-Peter also became a successful weight and hammer thrower at the national level.

Personal Best: HT – 58.77 (1938).