Passages: German Olympian Gerhard Hetz, 69

BARRA DE NAVIDAD, Mexico, May 27. GERMAN Olympian Gerhard Hetz has passed away at the age of 69 while vacationing at his second home in Mexico, according to the Franks Post. Hetz died due to gastric issues that included internal bleeding.

Hetz set a pair of world records, as well as a bevy of European and German records during his time in competitive swimming. He won a silver medal with Germany in the men's 800 free relay at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, while also scoring an individual medal with a bronze in the men's 400 IM at that same Games. He also swam at the 1960 Olympic Games.

Hetz originally set the men's 400 IM world record on May 24, 1962 in Moscow with a 4:53.8. That effort smashed the previous record of 4:55.6 held by USA's Ted Stickles since August 1961. Stickles would reclaim the record with a pair of progressions from 4:51.4 to 4:51.0 until Hetz returned with a 4:50.2 in Tokyo on Oct. 12, 1963. USA's Dick Roth would later take the record from Hetz with a 4:48.6 on July 31, 1964.

Full text of Franks Post article.

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