Björn Bach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Olympic medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's canoeing | |||
| Silver | 2000 Sydney | K4 1000 m | |
| Silver | 2004 Athens | K4 1000 m | |
Björn Bach is one of Germany's most successful flatwater kayak racers of recent years, winning medals at seven consecutive world championships.
Born in Magdeburg 21 June 1976 he took up the sport at the age of thirteen. He debuted as a senior international at the 1997 World Championships in Dartmouth, Canada, winning gold with Germany's four-man kayak team in the 1000 m race.
He has won a total of nineteen medals at top international events, always in the K4 event.
- Olympic medals - 2 x silver
- World Championships - 6 x gold, 4 x silver, 2 x bronze
- European Championships - 2 x gold, 1 x silver, 2 x bronze
After the Athens Olympics Bach was the only member of the silver medal-winning crew to continue in the K4 1000m boat. In 2005 he helped his new young team-mates to victory at the 2005 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.
His most recent success came at the 2006 European Championships, held in Račice, Czech Republic, where he won a K4 1000m bronze medal. At the 2006 Flatwater Racing World Championships however the German four finished outside the medals, finishing 4th (1000m), 6th (500m) and 5th (200m), thus putting to an end Bach's record of having won medals at seven consecutive world championships.
At club level he competes for his home-town club, SC Magdeburg and is trained by Guido Behling.
Height: 1.95 m (6' 5") Weight: 92 kg (14 st 7) (203 lb)
