Jump to content

Toni Merkens: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
←Replaced content with '{{Infobox cyclist | name = Toni Merkens | image = Toni Merkens.jpg | image_size ='
m Reverted edits by 202.45.119.65 (talk) unexplained removal of content (HG)
Line 2: Line 2:
| name = Toni Merkens
| name = Toni Merkens
| image = Toni Merkens.jpg
| image = Toni Merkens.jpg
| image_size =
| image_size =
| caption = Toni Merkens
| fullname = Anton Merkens
| nickname = Toni
| birth_date = {{birth date|1912|6|21}}
| birth_place = [[Cologne]], [[Germany]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1944|6|20|1912|6|21}}
| death_place = [[Wildbad]], Germany
| height =
| weight =
| currentteam =
| discipline = [[Track cycling|Track]]
| role = Rider
| ridertype = Sprint, stayers
| amateuryears =
| amateurteams =
| proyears =
| proteams =
| majorwins =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Track cycling]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1936 Summer Olympics|Berlin 1936]] | Sprint}}
| show-medals = yes
| updated =
}}

'''Anton "Toni" Merkens''' (born June 21, 1912 in [[Cologne]], died June 20, 1944 in [[Wildbad]]) was a [[racing cyclist]] from [[Germany]] and Olympic champion.<ref name="Sports Reference">{{cite web|url=http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/me/toni-merkens-1.html|title=Toni Merkens Biography and Olympic Results|year=2012|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=August 7, 2012}}</ref> He represented his native country at the [[1936 Summer Olympics]] in [[Berlin]], where he received the gold medal in the men's 1000 meter match sprint event.<ref>[http://www.databaseolympics.com/games/gamessport.htm?g=11&sp=CYC "1936 Summer Olympics &ndash; Berlin, Germany &ndash; Cycling"] ''databaseOlympics.com'' (Retrieved on August 27, 2008)</ref>

==Racing career==
Merkens trained as a bicycle mechanic with Fritz Köthke. In 1933 he won his first German championship in sprint. In 1934, he was able to repeat this success and also won the [[United Kingdom|British]] Open Championships and the [[Grand Prix de Paris]]. At the [[UCI Track Cycling World Championships|World Championships]] he finished fourth. In 1935 he again won the championships in Germany and the UK and the Paris Grand Prix. At the World Championships in [[Brussels]], he also won the title in the final against [[Netherlands|Dutch]] cyclist [[Arie van Vliet]] 2-1.

During the first race of the 1936 Olympic final, Merkens clearly interfered with Arie van Vliet, but no foul was called by the officials. Van Vliet also lost the second race of the final and received the silver medal. After a protest by the Dutch team, Merkens, rather than being disqualified, was fined 100 marks.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Wallechinsky|first1=David|authorlink1=David Wallechinsky|last2=Loucky|first2=Jaime|year=2012|title=The Complete Book of the Olympics 2012 Edition|page=544|location=[[London]]|publisher=[[Aurum Press]]|isbn=978 1 84513 695 6}}</ref>

Merkens turned professional immediately after the 1936 Olympics. In 1937 and 1939, he was German Vice Champion in the sprint. In 1940 he was the German champion in stayers, and was Vice Champion in 1941. In 1942 he won the German professional championship in the sprint and was Vice Champion again in the stayers.

==World War II==
Merkens was drafted into the army in 1942. Merkens was killed in [[World War II]] fighting the [[USSR|Russians]] on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]]. He was struck between the heart and lungs by a shell splinter, and died in a hospital in Wildbad.

==Commemoration==
In the Munich [[Olympiapark, Munich|Olympiapark]], the road between the main stadium and the velodrome is called Toni-Merkens-Weg (Toni Merkens Way). A memorial stone was erected in 1948 at the velodrome in Cologne.

==References==
{{German|Toni Merkens|August 27, 2008}}
{{reflist}}

==Literature==
*Volker Kluge (1997). ''Olympische Sommerspiele. Die Chronik I'', Berlin. ISBN 3-328-00715-6
*Pascal Sergent, Guy Crasset, Hervé Dauchy (2000). ''Mondial Encyclopedie Cyclisme''. Volume 3 G-P, UCI. ISBN 90-74128-73-4

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Merkens, Anton
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Merkens, Toni
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = German racing cyclist
| DATE OF BIRTH = June 21, 1912
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Cologne, Germany
| DATE OF DEATH = June 20, 1944
| PLACE OF DEATH = Wildbad
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merkens, Toni}}
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:1944 deaths]]
[[Category:German cyclists]]
[[Category:Olympic cyclists of Germany]]
[[Category:Cyclists at the 1936 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Germany]]
[[Category:UCI World Champions]]
[[Category:German military personnel killed in World War II]]
[[Category:People from Cologne]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in cycling]]
[[Category:Track cyclists]]
[[Category:Male cyclists]]


{{Germany-Olympic-medalist-stub}}
{{Germany-cycling-bio-stub}}

[[ca:Toni Merkens]]
[[de:Toni Merkens]]
[[fr:Toni Merkens]]
[[ja:トーニ・メルケンス]]
[[no:Toni Merkens]]

Revision as of 01:36, 8 August 2012

Toni Merkens
Toni Merkens
Personal information
Full nameAnton Merkens
NicknameToni
Born(1912-06-21)June 21, 1912
Cologne, Germany
DiedJune 20, 1944(1944-06-20) (aged 31)
Wildbad, Germany
Team information
DisciplineTrack
RoleRider
Rider typeSprint, stayers
Medal record
Men's Track cycling
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place Berlin 1936 Sprint

Anton "Toni" Merkens (born June 21, 1912 in Cologne, died June 20, 1944 in Wildbad) was a racing cyclist from Germany and Olympic champion.[1] He represented his native country at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, where he received the gold medal in the men's 1000 meter match sprint event.[2]

Racing career

Merkens trained as a bicycle mechanic with Fritz Köthke. In 1933 he won his first German championship in sprint. In 1934, he was able to repeat this success and also won the British Open Championships and the Grand Prix de Paris. At the World Championships he finished fourth. In 1935 he again won the championships in Germany and the UK and the Paris Grand Prix. At the World Championships in Brussels, he also won the title in the final against Dutch cyclist Arie van Vliet 2-1.

During the first race of the 1936 Olympic final, Merkens clearly interfered with Arie van Vliet, but no foul was called by the officials. Van Vliet also lost the second race of the final and received the silver medal. After a protest by the Dutch team, Merkens, rather than being disqualified, was fined 100 marks.[3]

Merkens turned professional immediately after the 1936 Olympics. In 1937 and 1939, he was German Vice Champion in the sprint. In 1940 he was the German champion in stayers, and was Vice Champion in 1941. In 1942 he won the German professional championship in the sprint and was Vice Champion again in the stayers.

World War II

Merkens was drafted into the army in 1942. Merkens was killed in World War II fighting the Russians on the Eastern Front. He was struck between the heart and lungs by a shell splinter, and died in a hospital in Wildbad.

Commemoration

In the Munich Olympiapark, the road between the main stadium and the velodrome is called Toni-Merkens-Weg (Toni Merkens Way). A memorial stone was erected in 1948 at the velodrome in Cologne.

References

Template:German

  1. ^ "Toni Merkens Biography and Olympic Results". Sports Reference LLC. 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
  2. ^ "1936 Summer Olympics – Berlin, Germany – Cycling" databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on August 27, 2008)
  3. ^ Wallechinsky, David; Loucky, Jaime (2012). The Complete Book of the Olympics 2012 Edition. London: Aurum Press. p. 544. ISBN 978 1 84513 695 6.

Literature

  • Volker Kluge (1997). Olympische Sommerspiele. Die Chronik I, Berlin. ISBN 3-328-00715-6
  • Pascal Sergent, Guy Crasset, Hervé Dauchy (2000). Mondial Encyclopedie Cyclisme. Volume 3 G-P, UCI. ISBN 90-74128-73-4

Template:Persondata


Stub icon 1 Stub icon 2

This article about a German Olympic medalist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Flag of GermanyBiography icon

This biographical article relating to German cycling is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Toni_Merkens&oldid=506322007"