Thomas Rupprath
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Full name | Thomas•Rupprath |
| Used name | Thomas•Rupprath |
| Born | 16 March 1977 in Neuss, Nordrhein-Westfalen (GER) |
| Measurements | 182 cm / 78 kg |
| Affiliations | SG Bayer Wuppertal/Uerdingen/Dormagen, Wuppertal (GER) |
| NOC |  Germany |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 0 |
| Silver | 1 |
| Bronze | 1 |
| Total | 2 |
Biography
Versatile swimmer Thomas Rupprath was one of the most successful ever male German swimmers. He was a three-time Olympian from 2000 at Sydney to 2008 at Beijing. He won bronze and silver medal with the 4x100 IM relay in 2000 and 2004 respectively. Individually, he reached the 100 metres butterfly final in 2000 and 2004, placing seventh and an unfortunate fourth. In 2008, his performance was poor and, as he himself stated: “This had nothing to do with competitive sports”.
Rupprath was one of the world’s leading 50 metres backstroke swimmer in the early 2000s, winning the gold medal at the 2003 World Championships, and two silvers in 2001 and 2007, and another silver with the 4x100 IM relay in 2001. At the Short-Course Worlds, he also won a gold medal in 2004 over 50 metres back, and three silvers and one bronze medal in different events. During his career, Rupprath set eight world records.
At European Championships, Rupprath won 28 gold medals, 15 silvers, and five bronze medals, and nationally he won 77 titles. He was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award. In 2005, he was elected Swimmer of the Year in Germany. He later co-commentated international competitions like the 2012 Olympics at London with the German TV channel Eurosport. He also participated in several entertainment format programmes with TV channel RTL. By profession, he became a freelance motivational speaker.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GER |
Thomas Rupprath | |||
| 100 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic) | =7 | |||||
| 200 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic) | 15 | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic) | Germany | 3 | Bronze | |||
| 2004 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GER |
Thomas Rupprath | |||
| 100 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic) | 4 | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic) | Germany | 2 | Silver | |||
| 2008 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GER |
Thomas Rupprath | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic) | 33 | |||||
| 100 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic) | 44 |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (50 m backstroke – 24 July 2001 - 25 May 2002 and 31 July 2002 - 2 April 2008: 25.31 (24 July 2001; Fukuoka, JPN), 25.20 (31 July 2002; Berlin, GER), 25.00 (31 July 2002; Berlin, GER), 24.80 (27 July 2003; Barcelona, ESP); 100 m butterfly – 24 May 2002 - 25 July 2003: 51.88 (24 May 2002; Warendorf, GER); 4×100 m medley relay – 23 September 2000 - 27 July 2003: 3:35.88 (23 September 2000; Sydney, AUS))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Short Course Swimming (50 m backstroke – 11 December 1998 - 12 December 2008 and 27 November 2009 - 10 December 2009: 24.41 (11 December 1998; Sheffield, GBR), 24.13 (11 December 1998; Sheffield, GBR), 24.03 (11 November 2001; Neuss, GER), 23.75 (30 November 2001; Rostock, GER), 23.42 (26 November 2004; Essen, GER), 23.36 (27 November 2004; Essen, GER), 23.27 (10 December 2004; Wien, AUT), 22.91 (27 November 2009; Essen, GER); 100 m backstroke – 2 December 2001 - 10 April 2008: 50.80 (2 December 2001; Rostock, GER), 50.58 (8 December 2002; Melbourne, AUS); 100 m butterfly – 14 December 2001 - 12 December 2003: 50.26 (14 December 2001; Antwerpen, BEL), 50.10 (27 January 2002; Berlin, GER); 200 m butterfly – 1 December 2001 - 8 December 2002: 1:51.21 (1 December 2001; Rostock, GER); 100 m medley – 25 January 2003 - 12 April 2008: 52.58 (25 January 2003; Berlin, GER); 4×50 m medley relay – 13 December 1998 - 11 December 2008: 1:35.51 tied (13 December 1998; Sheffield, GBR), 1:35.14 (13 December 2001; Antwerpen, BEL), 1:34.78 (13 December 2001; Antwerpen, BEL), 1:34.72 (12 December 2002; Riesa, ITA), 1:34.46 (12 December 2003; Dublin, IRL), 1:34.06 (7 December 2006; Helsinki, FIN))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (50 m backstroke – 27 July 2003 - 2 April 2008: 24.80 (27 July 2003; Barcelona, ESP))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Short Course Swimming (50 m backstroke – 11 December 1998 - 18 November 1999 and 10 December 2004 - 26 October 2008: 24.13 (11 December 1998; Sheffield, GBR), 23.27 (10 December 2004; Wien, AUT); 100 m backstroke – 8 December 2002 - 26 March 2004: 50.58 (8 December 2002; Melbourne, AUS); 100 m butterfly – 14 December 2001 - 12 December 2003: 50.26 (14 December 2001; Antwerpen, BEL), 50.10 (27 January 2002; Berlin, GER); 200 m butterfly – 1 December 2001 - 8 December 2002: 1:51.21 (1 December 2001; Rostock, GER); 100 m medley – 25 January 2003 - 18 January 2005: 52.58 (25 January 2003; Berlin, GER))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (2–4–1 1997 Sevilla SWM silver: 4×100 m medley relay; 1999 İstanbul SWM silver: 50 m backstroke; 2000 Helsinki SWM silver: 100 m butterfly; 2002 Berlin SWM gold: 50 m backstroke and 100 m butterfly, silver: 50 m butterfly, bronze: 4×100 m medley relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Swimming Championships (25 m) (26–11–4 1996 Rostock gold: 100 m butterfly, silver: 200 m butterfly; 1998 Sheffield gold: 50 m backstroke and 4×50 m medley relay, bronze: 200 m butterfly; 1999 Lisboa silver: 200 m butterfly and 4×50 m medley relay; 2000 Valencia gold: 100 m butterfly, 200 m butterfly, and 4×50 m medley relay; 2001 Antwerpen gold: 100 m backstroke, 100 m butterfly, and 4×50 m medley relay; 2002 Riesa gold: 50 m backstroke, 100 m backstroke, 100 m butterfly, and 4×50 m medley relay; 2003 Dublin gold: 50 m backstroke, 100 m backstroke, and 4×50 m medley relay, silver: 100 m butterfly; 2004 Wien gold: 50 m backstroke, 100 m backstroke, 100 m butterfly, and 4×50 m medley relay, silver: 4×50 m freestyle relay; 2005 Trieste gold: 50 m backstroke, 100 m butterfly, and 4×50 m medley relay, bronze: 100 m backstroke; 2006 Helsinki gold: 4×50 m medley relay, silver: 50 m backstroke and 50 m butterfly, bronze: 100 m backstroke; 2007 Debrecen gold: 50 m backstroke and 4×50 m medley relay, silver: 100 m medley, bronze: 4×50 m freestyle relay; 2008 Rijeka silver: 4×50 m medley relay; 2009 Istanbul silver: 50 m backstroke and 4×50 m medley relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (1–3–0 2001 Fukuoka SWI silver: 50 m backstroke and 4×100 m medley relay; 2003 Barcelona SWI gold: 50 m backstroke; 2007 Melbourne SWI silver: 50 m backstroke)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Short-Course Swimming Championships (25 m) (1–3–1 2000 Athina silver: 4×100 m medley relay; 2004 Indianapolis gold: 50 m backstroke, silver: 100 m medley, bronze: 100 m backstroke; 2006 Shanghai silver: 50 m backstroke)