Maximilian Reinelt (24 August 1988 – 9 February 2019) was a German rower and physician. He won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, as well as two World Championships and four European Championships. In 2016, he was awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt, Germany's highest sports award.

Maximilian Reinelt
Reinelt in 2016
Personal information
Born(1988-08-24)24 August 1988
Ulm, West Germany
Died9 February 2019(2019-02-09) (aged 30)
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Medal record
Men's rowing
Representing  Germany
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2012 London M8
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio de Janeiro M8
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Karapiro M8
Gold medal – first place 2011 Bled M8
Silver medal – second place 2013 Chungju M8
Silver medal – second place 2014 Amsterdam M8
Silver medal – second place 2015 Aiguebelette M8
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Seville M8
Gold medal – first place 2014 Belgrade M8
Gold medal – first place 2015 Poznan M8
Gold medal – first place 2016 Brandenburg M8

Career

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Reneilt started rowing for Germany as a junior in 2006.[1] He finished second in three U23 World Championship events.[1] In 2010, he was promoted to the senior boat by coach Ralf Holtmeyer [de].[1]

Reinelt was part of the team that won the gold medal in the men's eight competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[1][2][3] It was Germany's first gold medal in the event since 1988.[1] He also won gold in the men's eight at the 2010[4] and 2011 World Championships[5] and the 2013,[6] 2014,[7] 2015,[8] and 2016 European Championships,[9] and silver at the 2013,[10][11] 2014,[12] and 2015 World Championships.[13] He was also part of a German team that won a record 36 consecutive races.[1] At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he competed as part of Germany's men's eight team which won the silver medal.[14][3] The eight rowers were awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), Germany's highest sports award, for their achievement.[15][16] It was Reinelt's second such award having been similarly recognised for his 2012 Olympic gold.[17]

After the 2016 Olympics, Reinelt retired to focus on studying medicine in Bochum.[2][18][19] He was one of three rowers from the German 2016 Olympic team who retired after the Games, the others being Andreas Kuffner and Maximilian Munski.[19] In early 2019, Reinelt became doctor of the Germany U23 rowing squad.[15] He had been scheduled to attend their rowing camp in Mequinenza, Spain.[2][18]

Death

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On 9 February 2019, Reinelt died whilst skiing in St. Moritz, Switzerland, with his fiancée.[14] Resuscitation attempts failed,[1] and his death was announced by Graubuenden police.[14] Speaking about Reinelt's death, IOC president Thomas Bach said "Maximilian Reinelt is one of the great athletes of German rowing and beyond that a very likeable person, who has managed to combine competitive sports and his vocational training as a doctor with great success."[2] According to the autopsy, Reinelt was suffering from Sarcoidosis, which remained asymptomatic. The Sarcoidosis was responsible for the Arrhythmia, that caused sudden cardiac death.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Plötzlich brach der Olympiasieger zusammen". Die Welt (in German). 11 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Gold-Held Reinelt stirbt beim Ski-Langlauf". Bild (in German). 11 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Maximilian Reinelt: Former Olympic rowing champion dies aged 30". BBC. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  4. ^ "2010 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS – Karapiro, NZL – (M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 7 November 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  5. ^ "2011 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS – Bled, SLO -(M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  6. ^ "2013 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS – Seville, ESP – (M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 2 June 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  7. ^ "2014 EUROPEAN ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS – Belgrade, SRB – (M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  8. ^ "2015 EUROPEAN ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS – Poznan, POL – (M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  9. ^ "2016 EUROPEAN ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS -Brandenburg, GER – (M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Rudern: Maximilian Reinelt wird mit Achter Europameister". Südwest Presse (in German). 3 June 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  11. ^ "2013 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS – Chungju, KOR – (M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  12. ^ "2014 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS – Amsterdam, NED – (M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  13. ^ "2015 WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS – Aiguebelette, FRA – (M8 ) Men's Eight – Final". www.worldrowing.com. 6 September 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  14. ^ a b c "Olympic champion rower Maximilian Reinelt of Germany dies at 30". Associated Press. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019 – via ESPN.
  15. ^ a b "German rowing eight's Maximilian Reinelt dies while skiing". Deutsche Welle. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  16. ^ "Verleihung des Silbernen Lorbeerblattes". Office of the President of Germany (in German). 1 November 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  17. ^ "2012 Eight awarded Silver Laurel Leaf". Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Ruder-Olympiasieger stirbt beim Langlaufen". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). 11 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  19. ^ a b "Olympiasieger Reinelt beendet Karriere". Südwestrundfunk (in German). 19 January 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  20. ^ Obduktionsergebnis liegt vor – daran starb der Ulmer Olympiasieger Maximilian Reinelt
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