Fabian Hambüchen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fabian Hambüchen
Hambüchen in 2019
Personal information
Country represented	Germany
Born	(1987-10-25) 25 October 1987 (age 37) Bergisch Gladbach, West Germany
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Discipline	Men's artistic gymnastics
Club	TSG Niedergirmes, Wetzlar; KTV Straubenhardt, Straubenhardt
Head coach(es)	Wolfgang Hambüchen
Medal record Men's artistic gymnastics Representing  Germany Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 1 1 World Championships 1 2 6 European Championships 6 2 3 European Games 1 1 0 Summer Universiade 1 2 0 Total 10 8 10 Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Horizontal bar Silver 2012 London Horizontal bar Bronze 2008 Beijing Horizontal bar World Championships Gold 2007 Stuttgart Horizontal bar Silver 2007 Stuttgart All-around Silver 2013 Antwerp Horizontal bar Bronze 2006 Aarhus All-around Bronze 2006 Aarhus Vault Bronze 2007 Stuttgart Team Bronze 2010 Rotterdam Team Bronze 2010 Rotterdam Horizontal bar Bronze 2013 Antwerp All-around European Games Gold 2015 Baku Horizontal bar Silver 2015 Baku Floor exercise European Championships Gold 2005 Debrecen Horizontal bar Gold 2007 Amsterdam Horizontal bar Gold 2008 Lausanne Horizontal bar Gold 2009 Milan All-around Gold 2009 Milan Floor exercise Gold 2010 Birmingham Team Silver 2007 Amsterdam All-around Silver 2008 Lausanne Team Bronze 2008 Lausanne Floor exercise Bronze 2009 Milan Parallel bars Bronze 2010 Birmingham Horizontal bar Summer Universiade Gold 2015 Gwangji Horizontal bar Silver 2013 Kazan All-around Silver 2013 Kazan Floor exercise

Fabian Hambüchen is a famous retired German gymnast. He was born on October 25, 1987. He is best known for winning an Olympic gold medal on the horizontal bar at the Rio 2016 Games.

Fabian also became a World champion in 2007 on the horizontal bar. He won six European championships on different gymnastics equipment. He also earned gold medals at the European Games and the Summer Universiade. Fabian has a complete set of Olympic medals on the horizontal bar: a bronze from 2008, a silver from 2012, and a gold from 2016. After he stopped competing, he appeared on TV shows and in advertisements.

Early Life and School

Fabian Hambüchen was born in Bergisch Gladbach, West Germany. He was the second child of Beate Hambüchen and Wolfgang Hambüchen, who was also a gymnastics coach. His family moved to Wetzlar shortly after he was born.

Fabian went to Goetheschule Wetzlar and finished school in 2007. His father coached him in gymnastics while he was studying. In 2012, he started studying sports management at the German Sport University Cologne. He later changed his studies to sport and performance, finishing his degree in 2020.

Amazing Gymnastics Career

Starting Out

Fabian Hambüchen began his senior gymnastics career at the 2003 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. He was the youngest German athlete at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. There, the German team finished 8th. Fabian placed 23rd in the all-around and 7th on the horizontal bar.

In 2005, Fabian won his first European title on the horizontal bar. He also competed at the 2005 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, finishing 4th on the horizontal bar.

2006: First World Medals

At the 2006 European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships, the German team placed 7th. Fabian finished 5th on vault and 7th on parallel bars.

Later in 2006, at the 2006 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Fabian won his first World Championship medals. He earned a bronze medal in the all-around competition. He also won a bronze medal on the vault.

2007: World Champion!

Fabian Hambüchen at the 2007 World Championships

In 2007, Fabian won a silver medal in the all-around at the 2007 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships. He also won the horizontal bar title for the second time.

The 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held in Stuttgart, Germany. The German team won a bronze medal. Fabian won a silver medal in the all-around, just behind Yang Wei. Then, he won the gold medal on the horizontal bar, becoming a World champion! He was named the German Sportspersonality of the Year in 2007.

2008: Olympic Bronze

At the 2008 European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships, the German team won a silver medal. Fabian won a bronze medal on floor and defended his European title on the horizontal bar. This was his third European title on that event.

Fabian was a favorite for the horizontal bar title at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The German team finished 4th. Fabian won his first Olympic medal, a bronze, on the horizontal bar.

2009-2011: More Wins and Injuries

In 2009, Fabian won the all-around and floor titles at the 2009 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships. He also won a bronze medal on parallel bars. He had to miss the 2009 World Championships due to a foot injury.

In 2010, the German team won the European title at the 2010 European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Fabian also won a bronze medal on the horizontal bar. At the 2010 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, the German team won a bronze medal. Fabian also won another bronze medal on the horizontal bar.

In 2011, Fabian tore his Achilles tendon, which meant he missed the European Championships. He recovered in time for the 2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, where Germany finished 5th.

2012: Olympic Silver

Fabian missed the European Championships in 2012 to focus on the Olympics. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the German team finished 7th. Fabian won his second Olympic medal, a silver, on the horizontal bar. He finished behind Epke Zonderland from the Netherlands.

2013-2015: Continued Success

In 2013, Fabian won a silver medal in the all-around at the 2013 Summer Universiade. He also won a silver medal on floor. At the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, he won a bronze medal in the all-around. He also earned another silver medal on the horizontal bar, again behind Epke Zonderland.

Fabian Hambüchen in 2014

In 2014, the German team finished 4th at the 2014 European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Fabian had a fall on the horizontal bar during the final.

In 2015, Fabian won the gold medal on the horizontal bar at the 2015 European Games. He also won gold on the horizontal bar at the 2015 Summer Universiade.

2016: Olympic Gold and Retirement

Fabian had a shoulder injury in early 2016. He returned to compete at the German Olympic trials. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the German team placed seventh. Fabian qualified first for the horizontal bar final. He then won his third Olympic medal and his first Olympic gold medal, becoming the Olympic horizontal bar champion!

With this gold medal, Fabian completed a full set of Olympic horizontal bar medals: bronze in 2008, silver in 2012, and gold in 2016. He retired after the Rio Olympics, saying his Olympic title was "a dream come true." He was honored by being added to the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2022.

Life After Gymnastics

In 2010, Fabian published his autobiography, Fabian Hambüchen – Die Autobiografie. After his gymnastics career, he appeared on various TV shows. He now works as a gymnastics expert for the ARD TV channel. He has covered the Winter and Summer Olympics as an expert and reporter. He also tried out many Olympic sports himself in a TV series called Hambüchen Challenge. He helps promote adult literacy education in Germany.

Personal Life

In July 2022, Fabian married fitness trainer Viktoria Diesterbeck. They met in 2020. He lives in Wetzlar. Because he is not very tall, he has a nickname: "Turnfloh," which means "gymnastics flea."

Works

Books

• 2010: Fabian Hambüchen – Die Autobiografie

See also

In Spanish: Fabian Hambüchen para niños