Raimund Bethge
Encyclopedia
Raimund Bethge is an East German bobsledder who competed in the late 1970s. He won a complete set of medals at the FIBT World Championships
with a gold in four-man (1977
), a silver in two-man (1978
, and a bronze in four-man (1978).
Bethge also competed at the 1976 Winter Olympics
in Innsbruck
, finishing fourth in the four-man event and seventh in the two-man event.
Prior to his role in bobsleigh
, Bethge was national champion in the 110 meter hurdles in 1969, and finished fifth in the event at the 1969 European Championships in Athletics
in Athens
.
Bethge was forced to retire from bobsleigh in 1979 following a bus
accident. He became a trainer for the bobsleigh federation in East Germany, then for unified Germany
after East and West Germany
reunified in 1990. One of the athletes he trained was Wolfgang Hoppe
, who would later become a coach for the German
team. Another would be Christoph Langen
, another successful bobsledder.
Bethge was named trainer of the year in Germany in 2006 as a result of his successes that included 80 men's bobsleigh medals overall (Winter Olympics, World championship, and European championship), 11 women's bobsleigh medals overall, and 11 skeleton
medals overall. He was able to attend the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
despite breaking both of his legs after being hit by an Australia
n bobsled during a practice run at Cesana Pariol
on November 30, 2005.
FIBT World Championships
The FIBT World Championships, part of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing , have taken place on an annual basis in non-Winter Olympic years since 1930. A two-man event was included in 1931 with a combined championship occurring in 1947...
with a gold in four-man (1977
FIBT World Championships 1977
The FIBT World Championships 1977 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland for the record thirteenth time. The Swiss city had hosted the event previously in 1931 , 1935 , 1937 , 1938 , 1939 , 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1965, 1970, and 1974.-Two man bobsleigh:-Four man bobsleigh:The East Germans earned...
), a silver in two-man (1978
FIBT World Championships 1978
The FIBT World Championships 1978 took place in Lake Placid, New York, United States for the fifth time, hosting the event previously in 1949, 1961, 1969, and 1973.-Two man bobsleigh:-Four man bobsleigh:-Medal table:-References:**...
, and a bronze in four-man (1978).
Bethge also competed at the 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, finishing fourth in the four-man event and seventh in the two-man event.
Prior to his role in bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
, Bethge was national champion in the 110 meter hurdles in 1969, and finished fifth in the event at the 1969 European Championships in Athletics
1969 European Championships in Athletics
The 9th European Athletics Championships were held from 16 September to 21 September 1969 in the Karaiskaki Stadium of Athens, the capital of Greece. New at these championships were the women's 1,500 metres and the women's 4x400 metres relay event....
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
Bethge was forced to retire from bobsleigh in 1979 following a bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
accident. He became a trainer for the bobsleigh federation in East Germany, then for unified Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
after East and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
reunified in 1990. One of the athletes he trained was Wolfgang Hoppe
Wolfgang Hoppe
Wolfgang Hoppe is an East German former decathlete, bob pilot and 36-time international medal winner who competed from the early 1980s to the late 1990s...
, who would later become a coach for the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
team. Another would be Christoph Langen
Christoph Langen
Christoph Langen is a German bobsledder who competed for the West German and German national team from 1985 to 2005...
, another successful bobsledder.
Bethge was named trainer of the year in Germany in 2006 as a result of his successes that included 80 men's bobsleigh medals overall (Winter Olympics, World championship, and European championship), 11 women's bobsleigh medals overall, and 11 skeleton
Skeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
medals overall. He was able to attend the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
despite breaking both of his legs after being hit by an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n bobsled during a practice run at Cesana Pariol
Cesana Pariol
Cesana Pariol was the venue for bobsled, luge and skeleton during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The track, built for the games, is located in Cesana...
on November 30, 2005.