Han Kulker

Han Kulker (1987)

Han Kulker (actually: Johannes Nicolaas Maria Kulker ; born August 15, 1959 in Leidschendam ) is a former Dutch middle and long-distance runner who had his greatest successes in the 1,500 meter distance .

career

In 1986 he surprisingly won the bronze medal behind the Spaniards José Luis González and José Luis Carreira at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Madrid . At the European Championships in Stuttgart , a slow race developed over 1500 meters with a decision in the final sprint. With Steve Cram and Sebastian Coe two Brits won, behind them Kulker won bronze in 3: 42.11 minutes ahead of José Luis González.

In the 1987 indoor season, Kulker was able to continue his medal wins. At the European Indoor Championships in Liévin , he won a lane separation from the two Germans Jens-Peter Herold (East) and Klaus-Peter Nabein (West). Shortly afterwards he won bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Indianapolis in 3: 39.51 minutes behind the Irishman Marcus O'Sullivan and the Spaniard José Manuel Abascal . At the World Championships in Rome , he set his personal best in the semifinals in 3: 36.08 min; in the final he reached ninth place in 3: 42.08 minutes. Also in 1988 he reached the finals at the season highlight: At the Olympic Games in Seoul he finished sixth in 3: 37.08 min.

On February 12, 1989, Kulker set a Dutch indoor record of 3: 38.37 minutes, which was only broken in 2004 by Gert-Jan Liefers . At the European Indoor Championships in The Hague a week later, he was subject to a lane separation to the French Hervé Phélippeau and received the silver medal. While he barely started in the 1989 outdoor season, Kulker reached the final again at the 1990 European Championships in Split and finished seventh in 3: 39.85 minutes. He reached his last international final ranking at the World Indoor Championships in Seville in 1991 , where he finished fifth.

Outdoors, he was the Dutch champion in 1985 over 800 m and in 1986 and 1987 over 1500 m. In the hall he won the national title over 1500 m four times (1985, 1987, 1989, 1991) and twice over 800 m (1985, 1986) and 3000 m (1988, 1990).

Han Kulker is 1.83 m tall and weighed 64 kg at competition times. He worked as a programmer.

Personal bests

• 800 m: 1: 46.85 min, June 21, 1985, Essen
• 1000 m : 2: 18.07 min, August 11, 1986, Budapest
• 1500 m: 3: 36.08 min, September 4th 1987, Rome
  • Hall: 3: 38.37 min, February 12, 1989, Stuttgart (former Dutch record)
• 1 mile : 3: 53.93 min, August 14, 1985, Hechtel (former Dutch record)
• 3000 m (Halle): 7: 56.19 min, January 31, 1988, Stuttgart

literature

• Peter Matthews (Ed.): Athletics 1991. Windsor 1991, ISBN 1-873057-03-2

Web links

• Han Kulker in the database of World Athletics (English)
• Han Kulker in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )

Footnotes

1. ↑ gbrathletics: Dutch Championships
2. ↑ gbrathletics: Dutch Indoor Championships