Karl Hähnel

Karl Hähnel came in a thankless fourth in the 50 km walk at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. He described his race in the journal Start und Ziel (Start and Finish) as follows: “My mistake was that I did not consider the enormous heat at its peak … The race was difficult, with 16 proven champions giving up halfway.”

Hähenl is still one of the most successful race walkers in the history of the German athletics. He was German Champion 10 times from 1922-35 over various distances and in 1922 became the first German race walker to finish the 100 km under 10 hours (9:57:00). In 1924 he set a world record for the 50 km. During World War II he worked as an interpreter and was sentenced to prison in East Germany after the war. After his release in 1955, Hähnel left Erfurt, and fled to the West.

Personal Best: 50kmW – 4-36:22 (1924).