Kurt OPPELT

Kurt Oppelt started his career as a singles skater, placing third at the Austrian Championships in 1951-52 and second in 1953. He placed 11th at his only World Championship in singles, in 1953. In pair skating he and Sissy Schwarz were Austrian Champions from 1952-56. In 1952 they had their international début as a couple, placing seventh at both the Europeans and Worlds. They won bronze at the 1953 European Championships and the 1954 World Championships, adding a silver that year at the Europeans. In 1955 they did not participate at Europeans but at Worlds they were close runners-up to the Canadians Frances Dafoe and Norris Bowden. Their best year was 1956, as they won the European, World and Olympic titles. Oppelt and Schwarz joined the Wiener Eisrevue and performed in ice shows for three or four years. In 1976 Oppelt received the Olympic Flame when it arrived in Austria coming from Athens. Oppelt was the coach of the Royal Dutch figure skating team from 1957-60. He later settled in the United States, and beginning in 1967, he was an instructor at Penn State University in its College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, although he later worked for an insurance company. In 1996 he received the Golden Medal of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria. He was inducted into Austrian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1976.