Franz-Josef Kemper

Franz-Josef Kemper was one of the best German middle distance runners in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Silver medalist in the 800 at the 1966 European Championships, he was World Ranked #1 in 1967, and ranked in the top five in 1965-66 and 1970-72. Kemper set a world record for 1,000 metres in 1966, running 2:16.2 in Hannover, a record that lasted seven years. He also anchored world record setting relay teams in 1966 (4×800) and 1968 (4×880 yds). Domestically he collected 12 outdoor and five indoor titles.

Kemper studied at the University of Münster and received a Doctor of Philosophy in sociology from Technische Hochschule Darmstadt in 1980. In 1989 he married his teammate Sylvia Schenk. He was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf in 1967 and the Sports Badge of North Rhine Westfalia in 1973. In 2000 Kemper was named assistant director and director of the sports department in the Ministry of the Interior and Sport in the Rhineland, and in 2003, Kemper was appointed as a national delegate to the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Personal Bests: 400 – 47.1 (1967); 800 – 1:44.9 (1966); 1000 – 2:16.2 (1966); 1500 – 3:41.7 (1970); 3000 – 8:37.8 (1973).