Friedhelm Wentzke

West German flatwater canoer Friedhelm Wentzke was part of the gold medal winning 4 x 500 kayak relay together with Dieter Krause and Günter Perleberg from East Germany, and Paul Lange from West Germany, which was the only mixed German team between 1956 and 1964 equally represented by West and East German athletes. Wentzke appeared again at the Olympics in Tokyo 1964, and won a silver medal with the West German K4. Only one year later he won a World title with the West German kayak.

Between 1961 and 1966 Wentzke won 10 West German national titles. He was a trained electric fitter and welder, but later worked as a swimming instructor. Among his tasks was the responsibility for the guest house of Sportpark Wedau in Duisburg for 37 years. In 1960 he was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, the highest sports award in West Germany.