Thomas Schneider (rower)

Thomas Schneider (born 30 March 1932) is a West German rower who represented the United Team of Germany. Together with Gerhard Häge, he won the first European medal for the once dominant rowing nation after World War II.

Thomas Schneider
Personal information
Born (1932-03-30) 30 March 1932 (age 92)
Sport
SportRowing
ClubGießener RG 1877
Medal record
Men's rowing
Representing  West Germany
European Rowing Championships
Gold medal – first place 1954 Amsterdam Double sculls
Silver medal – second place 1956 Bled Double sculls
Silver medal – second place 1957 Duisburg Double sculls
Bronze medal – third place 1958 Poznań Double sculls

Schneider was born in 1932 and rowed for Gießener RG 1877 in Giessen.[1] Rowing trainer Ludwig Marquardt enticed him to team up with Häge from the Ruderverein "Neptun" in Konstanz.[2][3] The scullers won a regatta in Hanover, a three-nation contest in Klagenfurt, and then the German national championships in Hanover.[3][4] This qualified them for the 1954 European Rowing Championships, held shortly after in Amsterdam, where they won gold in the double sculls.[5] This was the first medal for Germany after the war and was thus the reason for much celebration for the once dominant rowing nation.[2] In December 1954, Häge and Schneider received the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt, Germany's highest sports award, from the nation's Chancellor Theodor Heuss.[2][3]

At the 1955 German national championships in Berlin, Schneider and Häge were beaten by Manfred Rulffs and Klaus von Fersen.[5] Schneider then teamed up with Kurt Hipper and competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne with the men's double sculls where they came fourth.[6][1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Thomas Schneider". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Rindt, Claudia (2004). "Als Neptuns "Ehrenjungfrauen" die Ruder hochhielten" (PDF). Südkurier (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "1949 bis 1984" (in German). RV "Neptun" Konstanz. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Deutsches Meisterschaftsrudern: Doppelzweier – Männer (Plätze 1–3)" (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  5. ^ a b Heckert, Karlheinz. "Rudern – Europameisterschaften (Herren – Doppelzweier)" (in German). Sport Komplett. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Thomas Schneider". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 24 February 2018.