Heinz Kiehl

Heinz Kiehl began wresting in his youth with KSV Oggersheim, where his father served as chairman of the club. Kiehl competed as a light-heavyweight throughout his career, in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. The highlight of his career was at the 1964 Olympics, where he won a bronze medal in Greco-Roman light-heavyweight after winning his first two matches by fall, but then losing his two remaining matches by decision, and this would remain his only medal at a major international tournament. Kiehl also competed in freestyle at the 1964 Olympics and at both styles at the 1968 Olympics.

Kiehl’s other top ten finishes at major international tournaments were fourth in Greco-Roman at the 1967 European Championships, sixth in freestyle at the 1967 Europeans and in Greco-Roman at the 1968 Europeans, ninth in freestyle at the 1963 Worlds, and tenth in Greco-Roman at the 1965 Worlds. Domestically Kiehl was the top West-German light-heavyweight wrestler in the 1960s, winning 11 West-German titles – 1963-67 in freestyle and 1964-68 and 1970 in Greco-Roman. Kiehl trained as a mechanic, but was later educated as a physical education teacher and worked for 30 years at an elementary school in Edigheim, a district of Ludwigshafen.