Kurt Oppelt

Kurt Oppelt (March 18, 1932 – September 16, 2015) was an Austrian figure skater who is best known for his career in pair skating. With Sissy Schwarz, he is the 1956 Olympic champion, the 1956 World champion, the 1956 European champion, and a five-time Austrian national champion (1952–56).[1]

Kurt Oppelt
Born(1932-03-18)March 18, 1932
Vienna, Austria
DiedSeptember 16, 2015(2015-09-16) (aged 83)
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Figure skating career
CountryAustria
Retired1956
Medal record
Representing  Austria
Pairs' Figure skating
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Pairs
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1956 Garmisch-PartenkirchenPairs
Silver medal – second place 1955 ViennaPairs
Bronze medal – third place 1954 OsloPairs
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1956 ParisPairs
Silver medal – second place 1954 BolzanoPairs
Bronze medal – third place 1953 DavosPairs

Career

Single skating

Oppelt started his career as a singles skater, taking bronze at the Austrian Championships in 1951–52 and silver in 1953. He placed 11th both at the 1952 Olympics and at the 1953 World Championships.

Pair skating

Oppelt's partner in pair skating was Sissy Schwarz. In 1952, they won their first national title and were sent to their first European Championships, where they placed seventh. The pair then competed at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway, where they placed ninth, and at the 1952 World Championships, finishing seventh.

Schwarz/Oppelt stepped onto the European podium for the first time at the 1953 European Championships, where they won the bronze medal, and then placed sixth at the World Championships. In 1954, they became European silver medalists and went on to win their first World medal, bronze, at the 1954 World Championships. They followed it up with silver at the 1955 World Championships, finishing as close runners-up to Canada's Frances Dafoe / Norris Bowden, who took their second World title.

After winning the Austrian national title for the fifth consecutive year, Schwarz/Oppelt became the 1956 European champions. They then competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Skating to Banditenstreiche by Franz von Suppé,[2] they won the gold medal ahead of Dafoe/Bowden, who faltered on a lift, causing them to finish after their music ended. The judging panel was split 6 to 3 in favor of Schwarz/Oppelt.[3]

Schwarz/Oppelt went on to win the 1956 World title before retiring from competition. In the summer of 1956, they joined the Wiener Eisrevue and performed in ice shows for three or four years.[4][5]

Later life

Oppelt was the coach of the Royal Dutch figure skating team from 1957–60.[6] He later settled in the United States. Beginning in 1967, Oppelt was an instructor at the Pennsylvania State University in its College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.[6] He was inducted into Austrian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1976.[6] In 1996, he received the Golden Medal of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria.

With his wife Cathleen, he has two sons, Kurt and Christopher, born in the 1970s.[4]

Results

Pairs with Schwarz
International[7][8]
Event 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956
Winter Olympics9th1st
World Championships7th6th3rd2nd1st
European Championships7th3rd2nd1st
National
Austrian Championships1st1st1st1st1st

Single skating
International
Event 1951 1952 1953
Winter Olympics11th
World Championships11th
European ChampionshipsWD
National
Austrian Championships3rd3rd2nd
WD = Withdrew

See also

References
  1. "Eiskunstlauf-Olympiasieger Kurt Oppelt verstorben". derStandard.at (in German).
  2. Stockmann, Gabi (19 February 2010). "Die Goldene war damals nicht aus Gold" (in German). adaxas.net. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  3. "CBC.CA - Torino 2006". www.cbc.ca. Archived from the original on 2006-05-04.
  4. "Eiskunstlauf-Olympiasieger Oppelt wird 80" [Olympic figure skating champion Oppelt turns 80] (in German). Kurier.at. 16 March 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  5. Roman Seeliger, Die Wiener Eisrevue. Ein verklungener Traum. hpt 1993 ISBN 3-7004-0680-0
  6. "Winter Olympic Games: Athleticism in the Snow, 2010 Games: February 12–28, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada". Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  7. "Sissy Schwarz und Kurt Oppelt - zwei Einzelsportler gemeinsam zu Gold" [Sissy Schwarz and Kurt Oppelt] (in German). Österreichisches Olympiamuseum. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  8. "Schwartz and Oppelt competition record". pairsonice.net. Archived from the original on 20 May 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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