Wolfgang Hoppe

Wolfgang Hoppe
Wolfgang Hoppe in 1990
Personal information
NationalityGerman
Born (1957-11-14) 14 November 1957 (age 66)[1]
Apolda, East Germany[1]
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Weight89 kg (196 lb; 14.0 st)[1]
Sport
Country East Germany
 Germany
SportBobsleigh (pilot)[1]
Event(s)4-man, 2-man
ClubSC Turbine Erfurt (19??-1981)
ASK Vorwärts Oberhof (1981–1989)[1]
WSV Oberhof 05 (1989–1998)[1]
Coached byRaimund Bethge
Retired1998
Achievements and titles
Personal best 1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Medal record
Representing  East Germany
Representing  Germany
Men's bobsleigh
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1984 Sarajevo Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1984 Sarajevo Four-man
Silver medal – second place 1988 Calgary Two-man
Silver medal – second place 1988 Calgary Four-man
Silver medal – second place 1992 Albertville Four-man
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Lillehammer Four-man
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1985 Cervinia Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1986 Königssee Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1989 Cortina d'Ampezzo Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1991 Altenberg Four-man
Gold medal – first place 1995 Winterberg Four-man
Gold medal – first place 1997 St. Moritz Four-man
Silver medal – second place 1987 St. Moritz Four-man
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Lake Placid Two-man
Bronze medal – third place 1987 St. Moritz Two-man
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Cortina d'Ampezzo Four-man
Bronze medal – third place 1990 St. Moritz Two-man
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Altenberg Two-man
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Igls Two-man
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Calgary Four-man
World Cup Championships
Gold medal – first place 1990–91 Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1991–92 Combined
Gold medal – first place 1991–92 Four-man
Gold medal – first place 1995–96 Four-man
Silver medal – second place 1986–87 Combined
Silver medal – second place 1986–87 Four-man
Silver medal – second place 1996–97 Four-man
Bronze medal – third place 1986–87 Two-man
Bronze medal – third place 1989–90 Combined
Bronze medal – third place 1990–91 Combined
Bronze medal – third place 1992–93 Four-man
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1986 Iglis Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1987 Cervinia Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1987 Cervinia Four-man
Gold medal – first place 1995 Altenberg Four-man
Silver medal – second place 1985 St. Moritz Two-man
Silver medal – second place 1985 St. Moritz Four-man
Silver medal – second place 1989 Winterberg Two-man
Silver medal – second place 1996 St. Moritz Four-man
German Championships
Gold medal – first place 1993[2] Four-man
Gold medal – first place 1994[2] Four-man
East German Championships
Gold medal – first place 1985 Oberhof[2] Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1986 Altenberg[2] Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1987 Altenberg[2] Four-man
Gold medal – first place 1988 Altenberg[2] Two-man
Gold medal – first place 1988 Altenberg[2] Four-man
Men's Athletics
East German Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 1976 decathlon

Wolfgang Hoppe (German pronunciation: [ˈhɔppə]; born 14 November 1957, Apolda, Thuringia) is a former East German decathlete, bob pilot and 36-time international medal winner who competed from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. Competing in four Winter Olympics, he won six medals with two golds (Two-man: 1984, Four-man: 1984), three silvers (Two-man: 1988, Four-man: 1988, 1992), and one bronze (1994).

At the opening ceremonies of the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, Hoppe carried the flag of Germany, who was competing as a unified nation in the Winter Olympics for the first time since the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Hoppe also won fourteen medals at the FIBT World Championships with six golds (Two-man: 1985, 1986, 1989; Four-man: 1991, 1995, 1997), one silver (Four-man: 1987), and seven bronzes (Two-man: 1983, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993; Four-man: 1989, 1996). He also won the Bobsleigh World Cup championship in combined men's (1991–92), two-man (1990–91), and four-man (1991–92, 1995–96).

Hoppe, a former army major, retired from bobsledding after the 1997 FIBT World Championships to become coach of the German national team, coaching such athletes as Susi Erdmann, Sandra Kiriasis, Gabriele Kohlisch, and André Lange.

In October 1986, he was awarded a Star of People's Friendship in gold (second class) for his sporting success.[3]

He is the brother of motocross racer and 37-time medal winner Heinz Hoppe [de].

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Wolfgang Hoppe". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Bob- und Schlittenverband für Deutschland e. V. (BSD)
  3. ^ "Hohe staatliche Auszeichnungen verliehen" [Awarded high state awards]. Neues Deutschland (in German). Vol. 42, no. 243. 15 October 1986. p. 6. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.