Eric Walther (modern pentathlon)

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Eric Walther (born March 13, 1975 in Berlin ) is a German pentathlete . His greatest achievement was winning the individual competition at the 2003 World Championships . His strongest disciplines are swimming and running.

Career

Eric Walther started modern pentathlon at the age of twelve. In 1994 he was able to qualify for the Junior World Championships for the first time. In the same year he made his Abitur and went to the sports promotion group of the Bundeswehr . In the first years in the senior sector, it was difficult for him to make the connection to the world elite. However, he was able to improve steadily and qualified for his first Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000 . At the 2002 World Championships in San Francisco , he won the bronze medal in singles. It was the first pentathlon medal by a German man at a world championship in over 50 years. In the same year he was also world champion with the relay.

A year later he achieved his greatest career success. At the World Championships in Pesaro , he became the first German to win the modern pentathlon world championship. He was able to leave Sweden's Erik Johansson behind on the home stretch and won gold. At the Olympic Games in Athens he wasn't quite as successful. Starting as a medal contender, he was able to bury his ambitions after shooting and fencing and in the end had to be satisfied with seventh place .

The next season was more successful for Walther. After the World Cup victory in Athens and third place at the World Cup final in Uppsala , he was the first German to finish the season in first place in the world rankings. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing , Walther came in 16th .

See also

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Walther, Eric
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German modern pentathlon
DATE OF BIRTH March 13, 1975
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin