Gerhard Hennige


Gerhard Hennige is a retired German sprinter. He won a silver medal in the 400 m hurdles at the 1968 Olympics, setting a European record in the semifinals. He was also part of the 4 × 400 m West German teams that finished third at the 1968 Olympics and 1969 European Championships. In 1967 he won the European Cup in the 400 m hurdles, and in 1968 he was awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt.
Hennige was known for wearing very dark sunglasses while competing. In retirement he became a full-time teacher at the Technical University of Darmstadt. In 1997 he was the conditioning coach for Formula One racer Michael Schumacher. His daughter Christine competed nationally as a middle-distance runner.