Guido Kratschmer

Guido Kratschmer was a West German decathlete who won a silver medal at the 1976 Montréal Olympics and finished fourth eight years later in Los Angeles. Shortly after the US-led boycott of the 1980 Olympics Kratschmer improved the world record to 8,649 points. He also won a bronze medal at the 1974 European Championships. Kratschmer won West German Championships in decathlon in 1975-80, and in the 110 hurdles in 1978, adding German indoor titles in the 60 m hurdles in 1976, 1980, and 1986. In 1988 he ruptured his Achilles’ tendon, did not qualify for the Seoul Games, and retired. He had a brief career in bobsledding in the two-man bob of Rudi Lochner, but retired in 1992 after not qualifying for the Albertville Winter Games.

Kratschmer was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf in 1976, the Rudolf-Harbig-Gedächtnispreis (Memorial Award) in 1981, and was selected as West German Sportsman in the Year in 1980. He was educated as a farmer, but later studied sports and graduated in sports and biology although he never worked in this job. His brother Hubert was also active as a decathlete.

Personal Best: Dec – 8667 (1980).