Ralph Borghard

East German figure skater Ralph Borghard placed 11th in the men’s singles at the 1964 Innsbruck Winter Olympics. In 1963 and 1966 he earned a sixth place at the European Championships, while in 1962 he came in 15th. In 1963, 1964 and 1966 he was East German champion. At the 1966 Worlds in Davos, Borghard finished 14th, immediately defecting to West Germany after the competition ended.

In April 1966, it was reported that Borghard and fellow singles skater, Uschi Keßler, had considered teaming up to compete in pairs. The two practiced some lifts together but her parents rejected the idea. One year later Borghard made the podium at the West German championships, placing second, and he then retired, later to become a dentist in Berlin.