Michael Sauer

Triple jumper Michael Sauer failed to reach the final at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. At the European Championships he came in sixth in 1966, and fourth in 1971. He also finished fifth, fifth, fourth and fourth at the European Cups in 1965, 1967, 1970, and 1973. In 1966 Sauer earned a silver medal at the European Indoors. Domestically he earned 8 outdoor and 11 indoor national titles in triple jump between 1963 and 1979, and one title in indoor long jump in 1968, the year when he set his only world record, in the indoor triple jump with 16.77.

In his youth Sauer started his sports career as a soccer player until he set a Hessian youth record in triple jump. From 1993-97 he was president of his home club USC Mainz. He later became a sports journalist for the Südwestfunk and from 1971 was at the West German TV channel ZDF. For 10 years he headed the weekly sports magazine for children called Pfiff (Whistle) and was from 1985-2001 Head of ZDF broadcasting. He also was the author of numerous fitness textbooks. In 1975 Sauer was awarded the Rudolf Harbig Memorial Award.

In 2004, when already retired as a colonel in the reserves, Sauer served an eight-month military exercise as a press officer for SFOR Staff in Sarajevo. He was Vice-President of the Association of Reservists of the German Bundeswehr from 1996-2011 and was the publisher of the monthly security magazine Loyal. In November 2011, he was elected Chairman of the National Committee of the Rheinland-Pfalz Association of Reservists. Beginning in the winter semester in 2008, he gave a sports historical lectureship at the University of Mainz. In 1997 he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit.

Personal Best: TJ – 16.77i (1968).