Tim Lobinger

Tim Lobinger was a world-class pole vaulter who participated in four consecutive Olympic Games as one of the favourites each time, but always failed to win a medal. Although he reached three finals, he could place only seventh as his best result in 1996 at Atlanta. Also in 1996, he became the first German vaulter to clear 6 metres.

Lobinger was more successful at Indoor World Championships, winning the gold medal in 2003 and the bronze in 2006. He also won silver in 1998 and 2006, and bronze in 2002, at the Europeans. Lobinger also won gold medals at the 1998 and 2002 European Indoors, and a bronze in 2005. Nationally, he won nine German titles in 1993-94, 1997-2000, 2003, 2005, and 2008, and the indoor title six times in 1996, 2000, 2003-04, 2006, and 2008.

Lobinger was seen as a very eccentric sportsman who attracted attention on several occasions. He was married to triple jumper Petra Lobinger from 1994-2003, and their son Lex-Tyger Lobinger became a soccer professional at Fortuna Düsseldorf. He later married TV presenter Alina Baumann (2011-17). Occasionally, Lobinger worked as an erotic model. From 2012-16 he was engaged as fitness coach at the Bundesliga soccer club RB Leipzig. He then founded his own company “Believe in Your Training”, which offered fitness coaching.

Lobinger took part in several TV shows like “Let’s Dance”, “Schlag den Star” (Beat the Star), and others. In 2017, he fell ill with leukaemia but recovered, and in 2022 it became known that he again fell ill with cancer and he then died early 2023. He was awarded the Rudolf-Harbig-Gedächtnispreis (Rudolf Harbig Memorial Award) in 2011.

Personal Best: PV – 6.00 (1997).