Jürgen Hingsen’s biography (0)

The tall German Jürgen Hingsen set world records in each of 3 sucessive years (1982-84) but lives in the shadow of Britain’s Daley Thompson. Jürgen won the 1982 West German championships in Ulm with a new global standard 8723 (8741 on 1985 tables), only to lose the record to Thompson at the European championships in Athens later that year. Similar events occurred in 1983. Hingsen again upped the world mark, this time in Bernhausen, with a score of 8779 (8825), and again he was no match for Thompson at the world championships in Helsinki. There was more of the same in 1984. Jürgen improved the world mark to 8798 (8832) at Mannheim, but Thompson took the Olympic gold in Los Angeles. Interestingly, all of the German’s records have come on home soil. None of Thompson’s have been set in his homeland.

The "German Hercules" was born January 25, 1958, in Duisburg. He came to prominence in 1977 at 19 with a win over the Russian Juniors. He was third (to Thompson) at the European Junior Championships, has a pocketful of silver medals, and has won 8 of 28 career decathlons, including two national crowns. But Hingsen has faced (and benefited from) major competition in West Germany from Siegfried Wentz and former world-record holder Guido Kratschmer. In Seoul Jürgen suffered the ultimate decathlon embarrasment. He was disqualified in the 100 meters for 3 (!) false starts and sadly withdrew.

Hingsen has not bested Thompson in 10 direct contests, but his best performances added up would take him over an unbelievable 9300 points (9323 to be exact)! He has been world ranked on seven occasions and posted several outstanding indoor septathlon marks.