Frank-Michael Wahl

Frank-Michael Wahl started his sports career as a swimmer and won a youth national title. He was on the gold medal winning East German team at the 1980 Moskva Olympics, winning the final after a 23-22 overtime victory against the Soviet Union. He also competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics but the East German team finished a disappointing seventh. In 1992, by then representing re-unified Germany, the team came in 10th at the Barcelona Olympics. Wahl played 313 international matches with the GDR national team and scored 1,357 goals, more than anyone in handball history. In 1978 and 1986 he helped the team win bronzes at the Worlds. He was one of only a few East German handball players who played with the re-unified German team, where he added 31 more international caps and scored another 55 goals.

Domestically, Wahl played with SC Empor Rostock and helped them win East German Championships three times, adding seven GDR Cups. He also helped win the 1982 European Cup Winners’ Cup. In 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1986 he was the top scorer in the East German Oberliga. He was named Handball Player of the Year in 1982, 1985, and 1987. After re-unification Wahl moved to VfL Hameln where he started a coaching career. His son Gordon became a handball professional.