Otto Scheff
{{short description|Austrian swimmer}}
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1889|12|12}}
| birth_place = Berlin, German Empire
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1956|10|26|1889|12|12}}
| death_place = Maria Enzersdorf, Austria
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{{MedalCountry | {{flag|Austrian Empire}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games }}
{{MedalBronze | 1908 London | 400 m freestyle }}
{{MedalCompetition | Intercalated Games }}
{{MedalGold | 1906 Athens | 400 m freestyle }}
{{MedalBronze | 1906 Athens | 1 mile }}
}}
Otto Scheff, born Otto Sochaczewsky (December 12, 1889 – October 26, 1956) was an Austrian freestyle swimmer, water polo player, lawyer, politician, and sports official who competed in the 1906 Intercalated Games, in the 1908 Summer Olympics, and in the 1912 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|title=Otto Scheff|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sc/otto-scheff-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165055/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sc/otto-scheff-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=2 July 2017}}{{cite web|title=Otto Scheff - Austria's youngest Olympian winner|url=http://www.olympia.at/museum/main.asp?VID=1&kat1=13&kat2=142&kat3=&MBIOPID=1238&MBIOTID=322|website=olympia.at|access-date=2 July 2017}}
Biography
Scheff was born in Berlin, he was still at school in 1906 and it was only for the intervention of the Austrian Olympic Committee he was allowed three weeks leave to compete in the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens. At those Games he competed in three events, first up was the 1 mile freestyle race, it was a straight final with Scheff coming in third for the bronze medal behind winner Henry Taylor and second place John Arthur Jarvis both from Great Britain,{{cite web|title=Swimming at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's One Mile Freestyle|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1906/SWI/mens-one-mile-freestyle.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165119/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1906/SWI/mens-one-mile-freestyle.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=2 July 2017}} three days later Scheff got revenge on the two British swimmers by winning the gold medal by two seconds in the 400 metre freestyle,{{cite web|title=Swimming at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 400 metres Freestyle|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1906/SWI/mens-400-metres-freestyle.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165217/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1906/SWI/mens-400-metres-freestyle.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=2 July 2017}} he was also part of the 4×250 metre freestyle relay team, but they didn't finish the race.{{cite web|title=Swimming at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's 4 × 250 metres Freestyle Relay|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1906/SWI/mens-4-x-250-metres-freestyle-relay.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165215/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1906/SWI/mens-4-x-250-metres-freestyle-relay.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=2 July 2017}}
Two years later he was in London for the 1908 Summer Olympics, again he entered three events, in the 400 metre freestyle he won another bronze medal and again losing to Henry Taylor,{{cite web|title=Swimming at the 1908 London Summer Games: Men's 400 metres Freestyle|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1908/SWI/mens-400-metres-freestyle.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165220/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1908/SWI/mens-400-metres-freestyle.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=2 July 2017}} he also reached the final of the 1500 metre freestyle but didn't finish the race,{{cite web|title=Swimming at the 1908 London Summer Games: Men's 1,500 metres Freestyle|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1908/SWI/mens-1500-metres-freestyle.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165218/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1908/SWI/mens-1500-metres-freestyle.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=2 July 2017}} he also managed to reach the semi-finals of the 100 metre freestyle.{{cite web|title=Swimming at the 1908 London Summer Games: Men's 100 metres Freestyle|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1908/SWI/mens-100-metres-freestyle.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165425/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1908/SWI/mens-100-metres-freestyle.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=2 July 2017}}
At the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm he participated in the water polo tournament as part of the Austrian team finishing in fourth place.{{cite web|title=1912 - Olympic Games in Stockholm|url=http://www.h2opolo.be/geschiedenis/WP_1912_OS.html|website=h2opolo.be|access-date=2 July 2017}}
From 1945 to 1953 he was elected to the National Council of Austria as a member of the Austrian People's Party.
He was vice president of the Austrian Olympic Committee.
He died at Maria Enzersdorf in 1956.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/45399 |title=Otto Scheff |work=Olympedia |access-date=11 April 2021}}
His daughter Gertraud Scheff was already qualified for the 1940 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, when the games were cancelled.
Mödling named a street "Dr. Otto Scheff-Weg".
See also
References
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External links
- [http://www.oeoc.at/museum/main.asp?VID=1&kat1=13&kat2=142&kat3=&MBIOPID=1238&MBIOTID=322 profile with picture] {{in lang|de}}
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221201421/http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SCHEFOTT01 |date=February 21, 2007 |title=Otto Scheff at databaseOlympics.com}}
- {{SR/Olympics profile|sc/otto-scheff-1}}
- {{sports links}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scheff, Otto}}
Category:Water polo players from Berlin
Category:Austrian male freestyle swimmers
Category:Austrian male water polo players
Category:Olympic swimmers for Austria
Category:Olympic water polo players for Austria
Category:Swimmers at the 1906 Intercalated Games
Category:Swimmers at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Category:Water polo players at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Austria
Category:World record setters in swimming
Category:Olympic bronze medalists in swimming