Hubert Houben
{{Short description|German sprinter (1898–1956)}}
{{For|the German historian|Hubert Houben (historian)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|name=
|nickname=
|image =Bundesarchiv Bild 102-00511, Hubert Houben.jpg
| image_size =
|caption=Hubert Houben in 1924
|birth_date= 24 February 1898
|birth_place= Goch, German Empire
| death_date = 9 November 1956 (aged 58)
| death_place = Krefeld, West Germany
| height = 169 cm
| weight = 67 kg
|sport=Athletics
|event= Sprint
|club= TuS Bochum
|pb= 100 m – 10.4 (1927)
200 m – 21.1 (1928)
|alma_mater=
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry | {{GER}} }}
{{MedalOlympics}}
{{MedalSilver| 1928 Amsterdam| 4 × 100 m relay}}
}}
Hubert Houben (24 February 1898 – 9 November 1956) was a German sprinter who competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics. He won a silver medal in the 4 × 100 m relay, together with Georg Lammers, Richard Corts and Helmut Körnig, and failed to reach the final of individual 100 m event.
Biography
Houben played football and trained in gymnastics and swimming before changing to sprint running. On 16 August 1924 he won the 100 m event at the Germany-United States meet, defeating Olympic champions Loren Murchison and Charley Paddock. He missed the 1924 Olympics, as Germany was banned from those Games because of its role in World War I. In the 4 × 100 m relay final at the 1928 Olympics the German team was leading the race, but Houben and Körnig had to slow down to avoid a faulty exchange. That relay team set a world record later in 1928. Houben did not compete at the 1936 Olympics, but was invited as a guest of honor.
Houben won the British AAA Championships title in the 220 yards event and finished second behind fellow German Helmut Körnig in the 100 yards event at the British 1927 AAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003358/19270703/260/0017 |title=An Olympiad |work=Weekly Dispatch (London) |date=3 July 1927 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=4 January 2025 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000264/19270705/022/0004 |title=Records go abroad|work=Western Daily Press |date=5 July 1927 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=4 January 2025 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=4 January 2025 }}
During his career Houben won 9 national sprint titles and set 10 world and 14 European records. He took jobs of a bank employer, sports journalist, and a city hall official, and also ran his sporting goods shop. He died from throat cancer aged 58. The Hubert-Houben-Arena in Krefeld and the Hubert-Houben-Stadium in Goch carry his name.
References
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Category:German male sprinters
Category:Olympic silver medalists for Germany
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic athletes for Germany
Category:Athletes from Düsseldorf (region)
Category:Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:20th-century German sportsmen
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