Gerhard Hetz

Gerhard Hetz was undoubtedly the best West German male swimmer in early 1960s. The high point of his career was at the 1964 Olympics, where he won bronze in the 400m individual medley and silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay. At the 1960 Olympic Games, he placed seventh in the 4x200m freestyle relay and also competed in the 400m and the 1500m freestyle. Hetz set two world records in the 400m individual medley– 4:53.8 in 1962 and 4:50.2 in 1963 and was selected as the German Sportsperson of the Year in 1962 and 1963. At the national level, Hetz won 27 German titles between 1960 and 1966.

After his retirement from sports, Hetz became a successful swimming coach, his most famous pupils being Rainer Henkel, Werner Lampe and Peter Sitt. Hetz coached at Blau-Weiß Bochum, SSF Bonn (1968-75) and then SV Rhenania Köln (1975-91). As a coach Hetz was not undisputed. He was considered a “grinder”, who trained his protégés for kilometers in the basin. His position as the Chief National Coach failed in 1996 at the contradiction of the then active athletes. In his later years Hetz retired to Barra de Navidad, Mexico, where he ran Hotel “Delfin” with his family.