The ride with Halla makes him immortal – sport

Essen. Two years ago, Hans Günter Winkler said before his 90th birthday: "I guess I'm still five years old.I've been examined by the doctor, I'm doing well." weeks before his 92nd birthday, the most successful German champion died after a heart attack on Monday night.

"A few weeks ago, Hans Günter Winkler sat in the stands.It's when you saw how popular it was.The spectators celebrated it," remembers Otto Becker, l & # 3939; national coach of the German jumper. "He would still like to come to the CHIO of Aachen, which starts on Friday. Aachen was his living room. His death is a great loss for German sport. His successes speak for themselves. He has always been exemplary for offspring. "

HGW, as Winkler was named on the horse riding scene with respect, won at the Olympics as many medals as any other jumper in the world.Olympia was the dream of his life. Number 5 had special significance like the five Olympic rings, he has competed six times in the Olympics and won five gold medals, and a silver medal and a bronze medal at the world championships. He won two titles, the one who wins so much is called a legend because of the exceptional nature of the achievements.Winkler filled in the description of life.He was an amazing person.Not just on the tournament site. 19659008] The story of Hans Günter Winkler is also a fairy tale, written by humans and animals.The one who speaks of Winkler, comes to Halla, his only horse.A miracle on all fours, a mix of genius animal and crazy bitch.The experts o The mare was judged unsuitable for a tournament, but Winkler was a horse expert, who led the mare perfectly on the obstacles with her own head.

And once Halla even drove the Winkler pilot through the course. The story of June 17, 1956 told Winkler endless times – and he liked to do it. At the Stockholm Olympic Equestrian Games, Winkler was injured in the groin that day, he suffered from an infernal pain and, as far as it was humanly possible, he was barely able to to pbad the crucial test. But it was the Olympic victory, the gold for him and also for the German team. Winkler first received an injection and then helped in the saddle. Halla has mastered the obstacles alone. Winkler could hardly support it because it only climbed in the subconscious mind. The result: zero error, gold. A sporty fairy tale.

"Halla was a little bitch, but I had a good feeling for her, I always knew how to cope with women – and I knew how to handle tough horses," said Winkler. He was married four times, but it was not easy because of the many travels.Wuppertal suffered a blow on February 21, 2011, when his fourth wife, Debby, an American, died three days after a mishap. only age 51.

Winkler completed his career in 1986 in Aachen, where he also won the Grand Prix.With his death, Winkler lived in the equestrian city of Warendorf and was remained close to the scene Ludger Beerbaum recalls: "Until a very advanced age, we were riding between us. It was not easy to haggle with him. "

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