Fritz Assmy
Fritz Assmy (11 June 1915 – 11 June 2000) was a blind Chinese-German masters athletics sprinter. He has set numerous masters world records in sprint events from 100 to 400 meters. Born in Hankou, China to Paul Assmy and Shun King Liu,[1] he migrated to Germany at the age of nine.[2]
Assmy guided by his grandson, 1991 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 June 1915 Hankou, China |
| Died | 11 June 2000 (aged 84) |
| Sport | |
| Country | GER |
| Sport | Masters athletics |
| Event | Sprints |
Assmy had run the 100 Meters in 11.1 at age 18 (1933).[3]: 15 By comparison, the 100 Meters Olympic winning time was 10.3 in both 1932 (by Eddie Tolan) and in 1936 (by Jesse Owens).
Blindness edit
In his youth, Assmy planned to be a civilian pilot and joined the German Air Force before World War II as a start for an aviation career. In those pre-war years he had also participated in other sports, including soccer, handball, swimming. In 1938, he crashed on a training flight in a Henschel Hs 123 fighter plane at Württemberg, and lost his vision in both eyes at the age of 23.[2]
Around 1971, Assmy realized that blindness need not keep him out of active sport and resumed training, first in gymnastics, then in track and field.[3]: 15
During competition he was guided by a sighted runner with a short rope tethered to their wrists, running in the outer lane to avoid getting in the way of other competitors.[4]: 10
His most notable achievements in athletics were at the World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships, from 1977 to 1991. In his first 3 WMA Championships (1977, 1979, 1981), he was guided by his son-in-law Klaus Hinrichsen.[2][5] Then, after his daughter and son-in-law split up, he switched to his son as the guide for 1983 and 1985,[6] and then to his grandson in 1991.[7]
Some claimed his guide had "pulled" or "tugged" Assmy in some events, giving him an unfair advantage.[8]: 178 [9][6] In a response to such criticisms, Assmy defended his running technique in a letter published in the June 1985 National Masters News newsletter.[10]
Masters World Records edit
| Event | Age group | Competition | Location | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Meters[11] | M75[8]: 191 [4]: 10 | 1991 World Masters Athletics Championships | Turku, Finland | July 1991 | 14.06 |
| M75 | Trier, Germany | 16 August 1991 | |||
| M80 | Minden, Germany | 19 August 1995 | |||
| 200 Meters[12] | M60[13] | 1977 World Masters Athletics Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | August 1977 | 26.0 |
| M65[14][15]: 7 : 17 | 1980 European Masters Athletics Championships | Helsinki, Finland | August 1980 | ||
| M65[5]: 5 : 11 [3]: 17 [16]: 17 [17]: 18 | 1981 World Masters Athletics Championships | Christchurch, New Zealand | 11 January 1981 | ||
| M65[18][19][20] | 1983 World Masters Athletics Championships | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 23 September 1983 | ||
| M75 | 1990 European Masters Athletics Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 5 July 1990 | ||
| M80 | Minden, Germany | 20 August 1995 | |||
| 400 Meters[21] | M65[14][15]: 7 : 18 | 1980 European Masters Athletics Championships | Helsinki, Finland | August 1980 | 62.6 |
| M75 | 1990 European Masters Athletics Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 1 July 1990 |
References edit
- ^ "Fritz Assmy family tree". Ancestry.
- ^ a b c "World Veterans Championships Hannover 27.7-2.8.1979" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. p. 3.
- ^ a b c "Special 4th World Veterans Games Issue" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. February 1981.
- ^ a b "5000 Athletes Triumph in WAVA World Championships" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. September 1991.
- ^ a b "The World Association of Veteran Athletes Newsletter 4" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. World Association of Veteran Athletes. March 1981. p. 5.
- ^ a b "IS IT GUIDING OR 'TUGGING'?" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. April 1984. p. 32.
- ^ Kusy, Krzysztof; Zieliński, Jacek (January 2006). Parzy, Wiesława (ed.). Masters athletics. Social, biological and practical aspects of veterans sport. Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego w Poznaniu/Poznan University of Physical Education. p. 52. ISBN 83-88923-69-2.
{{cite book}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ a b Olson, Leonard T. (Nov 29, 2000). Masters Track and Field: A History. McFarland. ISBN 0786408898.
- ^ "World Games Draw 1,935" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. November 1983. p. 19,22.
- ^ Fritz Assmy (June 1985). "How I Run Without Seeing" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. p. 16.
- ^ "All Time World Rankings - 100 meter Dash". Masters Athletics.
- ^ "All Time World Rankings - 200 metres Dash". Masters Athletics.
- ^ "World Masters Championships Track and Field August 8-13 1977 Slottsskogsvallen Gothenburg Sweden" (PDF). MastersHistory.org. p. 12.
- ^ a b Don Farquharson (March 1981). "2250 Compete In European Championships" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. p. 7.
- ^ a b "The 2nd European Veterans Championships" (PDF). The World Association of Veteran Athletes Newsletter 2. Museum of Masters Track & Field. September 1980.
- ^ "AGE GROUP BESTS BY FIVE YEAR CATEGORIES" (PDF). The World Association of Veteran Athletes Newsletter 5. Museum of Masters Track & Field. July 1981.
- ^ "4th World Veteran Championships" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field.
- ^ "Official Results" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. p. 15.
- ^ "4th World Veteran Championships" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. p. 15.
- ^ The WR of 26.20 for M65 200m was set in Heat 3
- ^ "All Time World Rankings - 400 metres Dash". Masters Athletics.