Willi WULBECK

Middle-distance runner Willi Wülbeck was the first 800 metre World Champion in 1983 at Helsinki. He also came in fourth at the 1976 Montréal Olympics. In 1980, he was nominated for the Moskva Games, but did not start due to the US-led boycott. Wülbeck finished third at the 1977 and 1979 World Cup. At the Europeans he was eighth in both 1974 and 1982. In the European Cup he started from 1975-83, winning the event in 1977 and 1983, placing second in 1981, third in 1979, and seventh in 1975.

Domestically Wülbeck won 10 (!!) consecutive 800 metre titles (1974-83) in West Germany, adding three indoor titles with the 3x1000 relay in 1978-79, and 1986. As of 2016 he still held the German record for the 800 with 1:43.65. For his achievements he received several awards – the Silver Bay Leaf in 1980, the Rudolf Harbig Memorial Award in 1984, and the Sports Badge of North Rhine Westphalia in 1983. In 2002 he was one of the ambassadors for the unsuccessful Rhein-Ruhr 2012 Olympic bid.

Wülbeck studied biology and sports and then become a sports teacher. He later worked as a public relation consultant for a big sporting goods enterprise and as a freelance sports journalist. He also owned a sports school in Duisburg and later founded his own public relations agency. From 1992-2006 he was president of the athletics department of his home club ASV Duisburg.

Personal Best: 800 – 1:43.65 (1983).