Gustav SCHMIDT

Race canoeist Gustav Schmidt finished an unfortunate fourth in the K2 over 1,000 metres with Helmut Noller at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. The following year he won the K1 national title over 1,000 metres. In the K2 he had won the title in 1951 with Gerhard Hemmers, and from 1954-56 with Michel Scheuer. With his home club Bertasee Duisburg, Schmidt won the West German K4 Championship 1955-58 and the kayak relay championship 1954-58.

In 1954 he won a silver medal with Scheuer in the K2 over 1,000 metres at the World Championships, but four years later he enjoyed his two greatest triumphs in winning gold in the K4 over both 1,000 and 10,000 metres at the Worlds in Praha. After his retirement Schmidt became administrator of the regatta course at Bertasee in Duisburg. He also was involved as a consultant for the canoe courses at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games and at München four years later.