Martin Lauer facts for kids
Martin Lauer at the 1960 Olympics
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Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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| Born | 2 January 1937 Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Nazi Germany |
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| Died | 6 October 2019 (aged 82) | ||||||||||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) | ||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 m | ||||||||||
| Club | ASV Köln | ||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 m – 10.4 (1959) 200 m – 21.1 (1959) 110 mH – 13.2 (1959) 400 mH – 51.2 (1958) Dec – 7478 (1959) |
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Medal record
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Karl Martin Lauer was a famous athlete from West Germany. He was a very fast sprinter. Martin won a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics. This was for the 4 × 100 meter relay race. He was born on January 2, 1937, and passed away on October 6, 2019.
Contents
Martin Lauer's Athletic Career
Martin Lauer was a top athlete in Germany. He was a German champion in the 110 meter hurdles. He won this title every year from 1956 to 1960. In 1956, he also became a German champion in the decathlon. A decathlon is a competition with ten different track and field events.
Early Olympic and European Success
Martin first competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He finished fourth in the 110 meter hurdles. He also placed fifth in the decathlon. In 1958, Martin won a gold medal. This was at the European Championships for the 110 meter hurdles.
Setting World Records
In 1958, Martin Lauer set his first world record. This was as part of the 4 × 100 meter relay team. He set his second world record in 1959. This record was in his main event, the 110 meter hurdles. His time was 13.2 seconds. This record lasted for a long time, until 1972.
In the same year, 1959, he also set his best score in the decathlon. He was ranked second in the world for this event. At the end of 1959, a sports magazine called Track & Field News named him "Athlete of the Year." He was the very first person to win this award.
The 1960 Rome Olympics
At the Rome Olympics, Martin Lauer again finished fourth in the 110 meter hurdles. He was also the last runner in Germany's 4 × 100 meter relay team. In the final race, the German team finished second. The United States team finished first.
However, about 15 minutes after the race, something changed. The American team was disqualified. This happened because they made a mistake during a baton exchange. So, Germany won the gold medal! Their time was 39.5 seconds. This time also equaled their own world record.
Life After Sports
After the Olympics, Martin Lauer had to stop competing in sports. He became very ill due to a medical issue. This illness was very serious.
New Career as a Singer
After recovering from his illness, Martin Lauer started a new career. He became a country singer. He was very successful and sold millions of copies of his songs. He released more than 40 records.
In 1964, his song "Taxi nach Texas" won an award. It received the Silver Lion from Radio Luxembourg.
Later Life and Work
Martin Lauer continued to be involved in public life. He attended the 1964 Olympics as a journalist. Later, he went to the 1972 Olympics as a representative for a company called Junghans. He then worked as a director for a German company named Triumph Adler. Martin Lauer passed away on October 6, 2019, when he was 82 years old.
See also
- In Spanish: Martin Lauer para niños
