- Andreas Ostler
Andreas "Anderl" Ostler (January 21, 1921-November 24, 1988) was a German
bobsled der who competed in the early 1950s.Already, as teenager during the
1936 Winter Olympics in their home town, Anderl Ostler and future teammates at became interest in winter sports. The games in 1940 and 1944 were canceled during the war, and Germany was not invited to the1948 Winter Olympics .At the
1952 Winter Olympics inOslo , he became the first person to steer both the two-man and four-man bob to gold medals at the sameWinter Olympics , together withLorenz Nieberl pushing and braking. They were wearing Americanfootball helmet s. Their 17-year old two-man bob, officially named "Deutschland I", had written "Cognac " on its front. [http://www.aafla.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1952/or1952w.pdf] [http://www.djfl.de/entertainment/djfl/1125/112592hintergrund.html] [http://www.oppisworld.de/zeit/kalender/sport.html]When both German 4-man-teams, rivals since their pre-war youth at in Garmisch, only qualified in mid-field, they decided to join forces. With
Friedrich Kuhn andFranz Kemser , the heaviest members of the other team which withdrew, bob "Deutschland I" won all four heats. The Gold medalists had a combined weight of 472 kg, or an average of 118 kg per person. The rules were soon altered, introducing a limit of 400 kg. The German movie is based on the story.Ostler won four medals at the
FIBT World Championships with two golds in 1951 and two silvers in 1953 at home in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, each time both in two-man and four-man.Ostler carried the
flag of Germany during the opening ceremonies of the1956 Winter Olympics inCortina d'Ampezzo , when Germans took part asUnited Team of Germany .After he retired from
bobsleigh , Ostler became a gastronomer (Chef ).References
* [http://sports123.com/bob/mo-2.html Bobsleigh two-man Olympic medalists 1932-56 and since 1964]
* [http://sports123.com/bob/mo-4.html Bobsleigh four-man Olympic medalists for 1924, 1932-56, and since 1964]
* [http://sports123.com/bob/mw-2.html Bobsleigh two-man world championship medalists since 1931]
* [http://sports123.com/bob/mw-4.html Bobsleigh four-man world championship medalists since 1930]
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