Gerhard Windolf

{{Short description|German athlete (1924–2018)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}

Gerhard Windolf (13 January 1924 – 3 November 2018) was a German Masters track and field athlete.{{cite web|url=http://www.mastersathletics.net/index.php?id=930 |title=Terhi Kokkonen |website=Mastersathletics.net |date= |accessdate=2016-05-12}} He was the 1995 Masters World Champion in the decathlon, beating future world record holder Pekka Penttila. Four years later he returned to get a bronze medal behind Penttila.{{cite web|url=http://www.wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz/wma_dechep.html |title=World Masters Decathlon & Heptathlon |website=Wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz |date=2015-10-16 |accessdate=2016-05-12}} As a combined event athlete, he also has produced medal winning results in a range of other events, primarily jumping events. He won the world championship in the high jump in 1995, 2005, 2009, and 2015, while getting bronze in 1991 and 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz/wma_high.html |title=World Masters High Jump |website=Wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz |date=2015-10-16 |accessdate=2016-05-12}} He won the long jump in 2009{{cite web|url=http://live.time4results.com/yu/2009/wma2009/textfiles/results090730_media.txt |format=TXT |title=World Masters Athletics Championships Stadia |website=Live.time4results.com |accessdate=2016-05-12}} and 2015, with a bronze in 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz/wma_long.html |title=World Masters Long Jump |website=Wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz |date=2015-10-16 |accessdate=2016-05-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122121453/http://wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz/wma_long.html |archivedate=2016-01-22 }} He also picked up a silver in the triple jump{{cite web|url=http://www.wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz/wma_triple.html |title=World Masters Triple Jump |website=Wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz |date=2015-10-16 |accessdate=2016-05-12}} and shot put in 2009,{{cite web|url=http://www.masters-sport.de/wm2009.html |title=WM 2007 |website=Masters-sport.de |date= |accessdate=2016-05-12}} with bronze medals in 2005 and 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz/wma_shot.html |title=World Masters Shot Put |website=Wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz |date=2015-10-16 |accessdate=2016-05-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122121514/http://wellingtonmastersathletics.org.nz/wma_shot.html |archivedate=2016-01-22 }}

Windolf was involved in Masters athletics since at least 1980, when he won a bronze medal in the high jump at the European Championships at the age of 56.{{cite web|url=http://www.mastershistory.org/newsletter/wava2.pdf |format=PDF |title=The World Association of Veteran Athletes |website=Mastershistory.org |accessdate=2016-05-12}} With results across seven age groups, he is ranked the #6 long jumper in European history. Based on the age graded scale he has averaged a comparative {{T&Fcalc|7.33}} throughout his career. On a similar average, he is ranked #5 in the high jump, averaging {{T&Fcalc|2.08}} across 8 age divisions.{{cite web|url=http://www.evaa.ch/files/records/high_jump_09.04.2016.pdf |format=PDF |title=European All Time Rankings : Top 10 Men |website=Evaa.ch |accessdate=2016-05-12}} As of 2006, he was tied for the European record in the M80 pole vault,{{cite web|url=http://veteran.friidrott.se/rekord/2006/0608eurekutom.htm |title=Mall |website=Veteran.friidrott.se |date=2006-05-25 |accessdate=2016-05-12}} set while winning the European Veterans Athletics Championships in Aarhus, Denmark.{{cite web|url=http://www.blv-archiv.de/AktuelleRekordeSpruenge.htm |title=Sport |website=Blv-archiv.de |date= |accessdate=2016-05-12}}

He began participating in athletics and gymnastics at the age of 10.{{cite web|url=http://www.harburg-aktuell.de/news/sport/leichtathlet-gerhard-windolf-91-holt-drei-medaillen-bei-senioren-wm.html |title=Leichtathlet Gerhard Windolf (91) holt drei Medaillen bei WM - harburg-aktuell.de Ihre regionale Internetzeitung aus Harburg |website=Harburg-aktuell.de |accessdate=2016-05-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610091637/http://www.harburg-aktuell.de/news/sport/leichtathlet-gerhard-windolf-91-holt-drei-medaillen-bei-senioren-wm.html |archivedate=2016-06-10 }} During World War II he was wounded, with extensive shrapnel to his lower jaw. But the injury, taking him out of the war, perhaps saved his athletic future.{{cite web|url=http://www.rtlnord.de/nachrichten/senior-spitzensportler-gerhard-windolf-aus-hamburg.html |title=Senior-Spitzensportler Gerhard Windolf aus Hamburg - RTL Nord |website=Rtlnord.de |date=2016-02-18 |accessdate=2016-05-12}} Into his 90s, he trained three days a week. He returned to the Championships because "there are great friendships. And it is always a pleasure to meet again." Windolf died in November 2018 at the age of 94.[https://hhlv.de/allgemein/2018/11/trauer-um-gerhard-windolf/ TRAUER UM GERHARD WINDOLF]