Hans-Joachim Fassnacht (; born 28 November 1950) is a retired German
swimmer. He competed at the
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* Janu ...
and
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using mean solar tim ...
Summer Olympics in various freestyle and butterfly events and won a silver medal in the 4 × 200 m freestyle in 1972. In 1972 he also won a 1500 m freestyle semifinal, setting an Olympic record, but withdrew from the final.
During his career, Fassnacht set 41 German, 21 European and 2 world records, as well as five world best times. In 1969, while attending
Long Beach State University, he broke the world record in the
400 m freestyle, and next year he broke another one, in the 200 m butterfly. He was selected as
West German Sportspersonality of the Year three times in a row: in 1969, 1970 and 1971, beating
Franz Beckenbauer. In 1992 he was inducted into the
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the s ...
.
See also
*
List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
*
World record progression 400 metres freestyle
The first world record in the men's 400 metres freestyle in long course (50 metres) swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in 1908. In the short course (25 metres) swimming events the world's governing b ...
References
External links
*
1950 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Stuttgart (region)
German male swimmers
Olympic swimmers of West Germany
Olympic silver medalists for West Germany
Swimmers at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 1972 Summer Olympics
World record setters in swimming
German male freestyle swimmers
European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Olympic silver medalists in swimming
20th-century German people
21st-century German people
People from Heilbronn (district)
Long Beach State Beach swimmers
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