Joseph Otterbeen

{{short description|Belgian middle-distance runner}}

{{Expand Dutch|topic=bio|date=March 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Joseph Otterbeen

| full_name =

| image =

| caption =

| nationality = Belgian

| sport = Athletics

| event = Middle-distance running

| club =

| collegeteam =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1898|10|05|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Antwerp

| death_date = {{death date and age|1978|05|20|1898|10|05|df=yes}}

| death_place = Antwerp

| height =

| weight =

}}

Joseph Otterbeen (5 October 1898 – 20 May 1978)[http://krantenarchief.concentra.be/vw/article.do?code=GVA&date=19780523&id=GVA-19780523-01009016 Obituary],Gazet Van Antwerpen, 23 May 1978 was a Belgian athlete.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/65261 |title=Claude Otterbeen |work=Olympedia |access-date=18 July 2021}} He competed in the men's 3000 metres team race event at the 1920 Summer Olympics.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ot/claude-otterbeen-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418062522/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ot/claude-otterbeen-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Claude Otterbeen Olympic Results |accessdate=30 January 2018}}

Otterbeen's talent was cultivated during World War I.{{cite news|title=Beroepsloopen - Over onze vervlogen Olympische droom. Jos. Otterbeen verdwijnt uit onze sport|newspaper=Sportwereld|date=4 March 1925|page=4|language=nl|url=https://uurl.kbr.be/1416275}} At his first Provincial Championship 5000 metres, he beat the defending champion and Dutch record-holder Julien Van Campenhout by taking the lead from him after ten laps, finishing in 15:31 {{frac|3|5}}. One week later, the two re-matched in Brussels. This time, Van Campenhout took the win, controversially finishing in 15:52 as he stepped on Otterbeen's heels twice to the jeers and booing of the crowd. An elderly gentleman accosted Van Campenhout for the heel-clipping after the race, and Van Campenhout insulted him. The following month, Henri Smets again stepped on Otterbeen's heel in the same place that Van Campenhout did. Despite this, Otterbeen won the race against Smets and Émile Rivez to the crowd's surprise.

At the 1920 Olympic 3000 m team race, Otterbeen finished 14th in the first semi-final, contributing to Belgium's 4th-place finish. His team was the only team entered to not make the finals.{{Olympedia}}

Otterbeen was selected to compete individually at the 1924 Olympics, but during practice he fell in a pit created by sprinters for their training. Otterbeen sprained his foot, and despite making several attempts at a comeback his injury spread to his kneecap. After having to keep his leg in plaster for a month, he didn't continue with distance running.