Armin Hary facts for kids
Armin Hary 1960
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Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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| Born | 22 March 1937 (age 88) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 71 kg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Sprint running | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 m: 10.0 (1960) 200 m: 20.5 400 m: 50.6 |
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Medal record
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Armin Hary (born 22 March 1937) is a retired German sprinter. He is famous for winning the 100 meters race at the 1960 Olympic Games. He was the first non-American to win this event since 1928.
Armin Hary was also the first person to run 100 meters in exactly 10.0 seconds. The famous athlete Jesse Owens once called him "The most amazing sprinter I have ever seen."
Contents
Early Life and First Wins
Armin Hary loved playing soccer when he was a kid. But at age 14, he decided to try sprinting instead. It didn't take long for him to become very good!
Just a few years later, in 1958, he won his first big international titles. He took home gold medals in both the 100 meters and the 4 × 100 meters relay at the European Championships.
In 1958, Armin Hary almost set a new world record. He ran the 100 meters in 10.0 seconds. However, the track was a tiny bit too sloped, so the record did not count.
Setting a World Record
On June 21, 1960, Armin Hary made history in Zurich, Switzerland. He ran the 100 meters in an amazing 10.0 seconds. This was a brand new world record!
The judges were so surprised by his speed. They thought he must have started too early. So, they made him run the race again. Just 35 minutes later, Hary ran another 10.0 seconds, proving his incredible speed.
Olympic Games in Rome (1960)
Later that same year, Armin Hary went to the Olympic Games in Rome. This was where he became truly famous. The 100-meter final was very exciting.
After a few tense false starts, the race finally began. Hary shot out of the blocks super fast. He quickly took a big lead. By the halfway point, he was two meters ahead of everyone else. He held on to win the gold medal in the 100 meters dash. His time was 10.2 seconds.
Armin Hary also won a second gold medal at the 1960 Olympics. He was part of the German 4x100m relay team. Their team tied the world record with a time of 39.5 seconds.
The Fastest Starter
Armin Hary was known for his incredibly fast starts. He was so quick that people often thought he was starting before the gun. He was called the "Thief of Starts" because of this.
Scientists studied Hary's starts using special cameras. They found he had amazing reflexes. His reaction time was recorded at 0.04 seconds. This is much faster than the average person's reaction time of 0.132 seconds.
Today, new rules in track and field say that a reaction time faster than 0.100 seconds is a false start. This rule is based on the fact that almost no one can react as fast as Armin Hary did.
Sports Sponsors
Armin Hary was one of the first athletes to be part of a big competition between sports brands. The companies Adidas and Puma both wanted him to wear their shoes. They were new companies at the time.
Hary realized that neither company's contract said he could only wear their shoes. So, he signed deals with both! He wore Puma shoes when he ran his 100-meter final. But when he stood on the podium to get his gold medal, he wore Adidas shoes.
End of His Career
Armin Hary had to stop sprinting in the early 1960s. He was in a serious car accident. This accident caused injuries that ended his amazing running career.
Awards and Honours
Armin Hary has received many awards for his achievements:
- 1960: He received a special medal from the Emperor of Japan. This was promised to the first person to run 100m in 10 seconds.
- 2000: Named "Runner of the Century."
- 2000: Named "Athlete of the Century."
- 2008: Received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
- 2010: A street was named after him.
- 2011: He was added to the German Sports Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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100 m final in the 1960 Olympics. Hary is on the far left in Lane 6.
See Also
In Spanish: Armin Hary para niños
