Rainer Henkel

Rainer Henkel

Personal information
Nationality	German
Born	(1964-02-27) 27 February 1964 Opladen, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Height	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight	85 kg (187 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	SV Rhenania Köln 1919 eV
Medal record Men's swimming Representing West Germany Olympic Games Silver medal – second place 1984 Los Angeles 4×200 m freestyle Bronze medal – third place 1988 Seoul 4×200 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold medal – first place 1986 Madrid 400 m freestyle Gold medal – first place 1986 Madrid 1500 m freestyle Silver medal – second place 1986 Madrid 4×200 m freestyle Bronze medal – third place 1982 Guayaquil 4×200 m freestyle European Championships (LC) Gold medal – first place 1987 Strasbourg 1500 m freestyle Gold medal – first place 1987 Strasbourg 4×200 m freestyle Silver medal – second place 1985 Sofia 1500 m freestyle Silver medal – second place 1987 Strasbourg 400 m freestyle Bronze medal – third place 1985 Sofia 400 m freestyle

Rainer Henkel (born 27 February 1964 in Opladen) is a retired freestyle swimmer from Germany, former World and European Champion in 1500 m freestyle. He also won the silver medal in the 4×200 m freestyle relay for West Germany at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the bronze medal in the 4×200 m freestyle relay for West Germany at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Career

At the World Championships Henkel won four medals: two golds in the 400 m freestyle and 1500 m freestyle in 1986, silver in the 4×200 m freestyle, and bronze in the 4×200 m freestyle. Furthermore, he won five medals at the European Championships: two golds in the 1500 m freestyle and 4×200 m freestyle in 1987, two silver medals in the 1500 m freestyle in 1985 and the 400 m freestyle in 1987, and one bronze in the 400 m freestyle in 1985.

Private life

From 1989 to 2001 he was married to the former German high jumper Heike Henkel.