Marcel Hacker

Marcel Hacker was a German sculler who participated in five consecutive Summer Olympics from 2000 at Sydney to 2016 at Rio de Janeiro. He won the bronze medal in the single sculls in 2000, won the B-final in 2004 and 2008, and placed sixth in 2012. In 2016, he partnered Stephan Krüger in the double sculls and finished a disappointing eighth. In all Olympic years he had health problems but was, nevertheless, regarded as one of the favourites for a gold medal each time.

At World Championships, Hacker won the single sculls gold medal in 2002, the silver medal in 2003 and 2006, and bronze medal in 2013. With the quadruple sculls he added two silvers in 1997 and 1998, and a bronze in 2009. At the Europeans he won gold with the double sculls in 2015, and silver in 2016. As a single sculler he won two silvers in 2013 and 2014.

In 1998, Hacker won the German national title with the quadruple sculls, and as a single sculler won the title nine times in 1999, 2001-02, 2008-11, and 2013-14. By profession, he became an industrial mechanic with Deutsche Bahn. He was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award.