Gunter Traub

Career

He competed in all speed skating events at the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics. During his career, Traub set two point-scoring world records in all-around speed skating, in 1963 and in 1968. From 1969 to 1970 he coached the United States speed skating team, which included Peter Mueller, Dianne Holum and Eric Heiden.

He ended his skating career in 1970 after a serious training accident in a swimming pool, which brought him into a coma and resulted in multiple fractures.

After recovery, he prepared the Italian skating team to the 1972 Winter Olympics. In 1972 Traub joined the motorsport and has been a fitness trainer of the Ford car racing team, which included Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Jochen Mass and Hans-Joachim Stuck.

Traub now lives in Saint Moritz, Switzerland, where he works as a physical education and mental trainer. He consulted such individuals as Juan Carlos of Spain, Michael Schumacher and Hubert Burda.

In 1990, he had a cameo appearance in the German sports film Fire, Ice and Dynamite.

Personal bests:

500 m – 40.7 (1968)

1000 m – 1:21.3 (1968)

1500 m – 2:03.8 (1968)

5000 m – 7:38.6 (1968)

10000 m – 15:42.6 (1968).

Achievements

• His best achievement was 11th place in the 5000 m in 1964 and in 10000 m in 1968. He also won four national all-around titles, in 1961–1963 and 1968. In 1999, he resumed competing in speed skating and became world champion in his age group, setting a new world record. He proceeded to win world titles in 2000 and 2002, setting a total of seven world records in the age group over 60 years.