Herberts Baumanis

Herberts Baumanis was born as the son of a German merchant in Rīga. He attended the Rīga Classical Gymnasium and then studied in Germany at the Prussian Royal School of Physical Culture. In the 1920s he worked as a coach, amongst others, for the club JKS Rīga and as a physical education teacher at a local commercial school.

In 1909 and 1910 Baumanis placed second at the Russian Championships in the 400 metres and set a national record in the 800 m in 1909. At the 1912 Olympic Games he only competed in the 200 m, but did not qualify for the second round. At the second All-Russian Olympics held in Rīga, Baumanis won the title in the 4x400 metres relay with the team of the Unions sport club with a new Russian record of 3:41.4 minutes. In addition to athletics, he was one of the pioneers of football, bandy and speed skating in Latvia and competed in various other sports. One of the co-founders of the Latvian Football Union in 1921, he himself played until 1922, was one of the country’s first professional football coaches, and acted as referee.

Baumanis fled to Germany to escape from the Russian troops in 1944. In Germany he continued to work as a sports teacher and football coach including clubs in Erfurt, Zell, Kirchheim and Leer.

Personal Best: 200 – unknown.