Erich Klaus (wrestler)

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Erich Klaus (born May 21, 1953 in Reilingen ) is a former German wrestler and vice-European champion in 1981 in Gothenburg in Greco-Roman. Lightweight style.

Career

Erich Klaus began as a student at the AV Reilingen with the rings . He made good progress and specialized in Greco-Roman. Style. In 1970 he took second place at the German youth championship and a year later he became German youth champion in Kassel in the class up to 65 kg body weight. He was also one of the best wrestlers in Germany and Europe among the juniors, as evidenced by his 4th place at the 1970 European Junior Championship in Huskvarna and his 2nd place at the 1972 European Junior Championship in Hvar in the lightweight category.

In the senior class in Germany he was initially number two behind Manfred Schöndorfer from Bad Reichenhall until 1976 . From 1977 onwards, Erich Klaus was the best West German wrestler in Greco-Roman for many years. Lightweight style. From 1977 to 1982 he was German champion in this weight class six times in a row. During his time as an active wrestler, Erich Klaus was a member of a sports promotion company in the Bundeswehr .

On the international wrestling mat, apart from his junior years, he made his debut in 1974 with a 2nd place at the CISM military world championship in Rome . This championship was attended by military athletes from the western states. His next start was at the 1977 World Cup in Gothenburg . Erich Klaus was able to convince right away, won four fights and defeated u. a. the Soviet starter Oleg Dawidjan . A narrow point defeat in his 5th fight against Nikolai Dimow from Bulgaria prevented him from reaching the finals. But he took a good 6th place.

Erich was also able to convince at the 1978 European Championships in Oslo and the 1978 World Championships in Mexico City . He took 5th place at both events. In Mexico City, he defeated Lars-Erik Skiöld from Sweden and Károly Gaal from Hungary, two world-class wrestlers.

In 1979 Erich Klaus won his first senior medal with the bronze medal at the World Championships in San Diego . His victory over the Bulgarian Ivan Stajkow stood out.

The year 1980 was unhappy for him. At first he injured himself so badly in the first round of the European Championship in Prievidza in the fight against the Finn Tapio Sipilä that he had to give up and then he was able to get through because of the boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow the federal government does not participate in these games, the dream goal of every athlete.

Erich Klaus was able to hold himself harmless for this disappointment at the 1981 European Championships in Gothenburg, because he became vice European lightweight champion there. He won there again against Ivan Stajkow and also against Tapio Sipilä.

In 1983 Erich Klaus succeeded in becoming military welterweight champion in Villeurbanne, France, ahead of the strong American David Butler . In 1984 he tried to qualify for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles , but came only 11th at the European Championships in Jönköping and was not nominated for Los Angeles.

Erich Klaus then ended his international wrestling career. But he was still active for a few years for his home club, the AV Reilingen. Incidentally, Erich Klaus was the first world-class wrestler at AV Reilingen. An excellent team developed around him over the years. This culminated in the fact that this club became German team champions in 1982.

After his military service, Erich Klaus trained as a physiotherapist and is now a successful entrepreneur in the sports and fitness industry in Baden-Württemberg .

International success

WM = World Championship, EM = European Championship, GR = Greco-Roman. Style, Le = lightweight, We = welter weight, back then up to 68 kg or 74 kg body weight

  • 1970, 4th place , Junior European Championship in Huskvarna , GR, up to 65 kg body weight, behind Andrzej Supron , Poland , Mikko Huhtala , Finland a . Anatoli Bykow , USSR a . before Anders Pettersson, Sweden a . Nikolai Dimow , Bulgaria ;
  • 1972, 3rd place , tournament in Bari , GR, Le, behind Iwan Stajkow , Bulgaria a. Gent, Denmark a . before Juriel, Yugoslavia ;
  • 1972, 2nd place , Junior European Championship, GR, Le, behind Lars-Erik Skiöld , Sweden a. before Lothar Fleischmann, GDR , Kis, Yugoslavia, Iwanow, Bulgaria a. Mikko Huhtala;
  • 1972, 1st place , tournament in Mulhouse , GR, Le, in front of Menaia u. Aurel, bde. France and Gian Matteo Ranzi , Italy ;
  • 1973, 3rd place , tournament in Fredsriksvärk / Denmark , GR, Le, behind days Weirum u. Deiadzio, bde. Denmark;
  • 1974, 2nd place , "CISM" -military world championship in Rome , GR, Le, behind Monno, Italy a. in front of Samella, Finland ;
  • 1977, 1st place , tournament in Kladovo , GR, Le, before Kecman, Yugoslavia a. Stoyanov, Bulgaria;
  • 1977, 6th place , World Cup in Gothenburg , GR, Le, with victories over Ignacio del Pino, Spain , Alizadeh Jafar, Iran , Oleg Dawidjan , USSR and Lionel Lacaze , France a . a loss to Nikolai Dimov;
  • 1978, 5th place , EM in Oslo , GR, Le, with victories over Kvalheim, Norway a . Tanner, Switzerland a . Defeats against Nikolai Dimow u. Andrzej Supron;
  • 1978, 5th place , World Cup in Mexico City , GR, Le, with victories over Reinhard Hartmann, Austria , Lars-Erik Skiöld u. Károly Gaal , Hungary a . Defeats to Andrzej Supron and Nikolai Dimow;
  • 1978, 1st place , EC championship in Arnhem , GR, Le, ahead of Lionel Lacaze, France a. Domenico Giuffrida, Italy;
  • 1979, 7th place , EM in Bucharest , GR, Le, with a victory over Jan Pedersen, Denmark a. Defeats against Heinz-Helmut Wehling , GDR a. Alexander Aliyv, USSR;
  • 1979, 3rd place , World Championships in San Diego , GR, Le, with victories over Howard Stupp, Canada , Sölve Halling, Sweden, Ferenc Csaba, Yugoslavia and others. Iwan Stajkow a. Losses against Károly Gaal, Alexander Aliew u. Andrzej Supron;
  • 1980, unpl. , EM in Prievidza , GR, Le, retired due to injury in the first fight against Tapio Sipilä , Finland;
  • 1981, 4th place , Grand Prix of the FRG in Aschaffenburg , GR, Le, behind Czeslaw Kowallik , Poland, Istvan Peter , Hungary a. Anvel Aprikian, USSR a. before Ștefan Rusu , Romania a. Tibor Dudas, Hungary;
  • 1981, 4th place , tournament in Västerås , GR, Le, behind Kazimierz Lipień , Poland, Gerry Svensson, Sweden a. Nikolai Dimow u. in front of Károly Gaal u. Lionel Lacaze;
  • 1981, 2nd place , EM in Gothenburg , GR, Le, with victories over Domenico Giuffrida, Iwan Stajkow a. Tapio Sipilä u. a loss to Ștefan Rusu;
  • 1981, 9th place , World Championships in Oslo , GR, Le, with a victory over Scott Bliss, USA a. Defeats against Tapio Sipilä u. Frank Steen, Sweden;
  • 1983, 1st place , "CISM" -Military World Cup in Villeurbanne , GR, We, ahead of David Butler , USA, Cenci, France a. Seyed Mussa Tabatabai, Iran;
  • 1984, 11th place , EM in Jönköping , GR, Le, after defeats against Sümer Kocak, Turkey a . Ștefan Negrișan , Romania

German championships

swell

  • 1) Div. Issues of the specialist magazines "Athletik" from 1970 to 1975 and "Der Ringer" from 1976 to 1984,
  • 2) "Hundred Years of Wrestling in Germany", Verlag "Der Ringer", Niedernberg, 1991

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Klaus, Erich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German wrestler
DATE OF BIRTH May 21, 1953
PLACE OF BIRTH Reilingen