Harald Schmid

Harald Schmid

Personal information
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	82 kg (181 lb)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing West Germany Olympic Games 1976 Montreal 4 x 400 m relay 1984 Los Angeles 400 m hurdles World Championships 1983 Helsinki 400 m hurdles 1983 Helsinki 4x400 m relay 1987 Rome 400 m hurdles European Championships 1978 Prague 400 m hurdles 1978 Prague 4x400 m relay 1982 Athens 400 m hurdles 1982 Athens 4x400 m relay 1986 Stuttgart 400 m hurdles 1986 Stuttgart 4x400 m relay IAAF World Cup 1977 Düsseldorf 4x400 m relay 1979 Montreal, 400 m hurdles 1977 Düsseldorf 400 m hurdles 1985 Canberra 400 m hurdles

Harald Schmid (born September 29, 1957 in Hanau, Germany) is a former German track and field athlete.

Schmid was one of the best 400 metres hurdles runners in the world during his career. His duels with Edwin Moses during the late 1970s and early 1980s are unforgettable. He was the last person to beat Moses before the incredible streak of victories, many with Schmid the closest challenger.

"I would wake up at the morning, and in California we’re about nine hours ahead of Germany. I’d say to myself, ‘Harald has probably finished his workout by now, I need to get busy!’ Guys like him were my motivation."-Edwin Moses

His race against Moses in Rome, 1987, is ranked as one of the races of the century. Schmid won bronze with the 4 × 400 m relay team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal as well as an individual bronze in 400 m hurdles at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984.

In addition, he won silver in 1983 at the first World Championships in Helsinki in the 400 m hurdles and the 4 × 400 m relay team and a further bronze in the Rome World Championships in 1987.

He won gold at the European Championships 5 times (3 individual and 2 team medals) and one silver with the team. His personal best over 400 m hurdles was 47.48 s (done twice in 1982 and the race in 1987), at one point the European record and the second fastest time ever. As of 1 September 2014, his time of 47.48 secs from Rome in 1987 is the fastest third-placing run in history.

Harald Schmid has a PhD in Sports Science and was appointed to the IAAF athletes commission in 1999. He participates actively in anti-drug campaigns and encourages children's sport activities.

External links

• Harald Schmid profile at IAAF
• Harald Schmid's public relations company
• 400 m Hurdles, Rom 1987 (ESPN).

Awards
Preceded by Boris Becker Eberhard Gienger	German Sportsman of the Year 1979 1987	Succeeded by Michael Groß Guido Kratschmer
Sporting positions
Preceded by Edwin Moses	Men's 400 m hurdles season's best 1982	Succeeded by Edwin Moses