Achim Hill

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameAchim•Hill
Used nameAchim•Hill
Born1 April 1935 in Berlin, Berlin (GER)
Died4 August 2015 in Berlin, Berlin (GER)
Measurements184 cm / 78 kg
AffiliationsBSG Motor Baumschulenweg, Berlin (GER)
NOC East Germany Germany
Nationality East Germany
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 2
Bronze 0
Total 2

Biography

Sculler Achim Hill won two silver medals with the mixed German team in 1960 at Roma and 1964 at Tokyo, becoming the first East German rower to win Olympic medals. He then finished fifth for East Germany at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. In 1957 he won his first East German title, the coxless pairs, while in 1959-60 and 1962-67 he won the single sculls titles. In 1959 and 1960 he also took the double sculls championships. At the 1966 Worlds he came in fourth and in 1967 he was European Champion just ahead of Soviet Vyacheslav Ivanov, at the time the world’s dominant sculler.

Hill first studied airplane construction in West Berlin until the wall was raised and he then had to move to Dresden. He later married his teammate and non-Olympian Gisela Jäger. By profession he became an engineer for rail vehicles.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal Nationality As
1960 Summer Olympics Rowing GER GDR Achim Hill
Single Sculls, Men (Olympic) 2 Silver
1964 Summer Olympics Rowing GER GDR Achim Hill
Single Sculls, Men (Olympic) 2 Silver
1968 Summer Olympics Rowing GDR Achim Hill
Single Sculls, Men (Olympic) 5