Maximilian Reinelt

Reneilt started rowing for Germany as a junior in 2006.[1] He finished second in three U23 World Championship events.[1] In 2010, he was promoted to the senior boat by coach Ralf Holtmeyer.[1]

Reinelt was part of the team that won the gold medal in the men's eight competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[1][2][3] It was Germany's first gold medal in the event since 1988.[1] He also won gold in the men's eight at the 2010[4] and 2011 World Championships[5] and the 2013,[6] 2014,[7] 2015,[8] and 2016 European Championships,[9] and silver at the 2013,[10][11] 2014,[12] and 2015 World Championships.[13] He was also part of a German team that won a record 36 consecutive races.[1] At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he competed as part of Germany's men's eight team which won the silver medal.[14][3] The eight rowers were awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), Germany's highest sports award, for their achievements.[15][16]

After the 2016 Olympics, Reinelt retired to focus on studying medicine in Bochum.[2][17][18] He was one of three rowers from the German 2016 Olympic team who retired after the Games, the others being Andreas Kuffner and Maximilian Munski.[18] In early 2019, Reinelt became doctor of the Germany U23 rowing squad.[15] He had been scheduled to attend their rowing camp in Mequinenza, Spain.[2][17]

On 9 February 2019, Reinelt collapsed whilst skiing in St. Moritz, Switzerland, with his fiancée.[14] Resuscitation attempts failed,[1] and his death was announced by Graubuenden police.[14] Speaking about Reinelt's death, IOC president Thomas Bach said "Maximilian Reinelt is one of the great athletes of German rowing and beyond that a very likeable person, who has managed to combine competitive sports and his vocational training as a doctor with great success."[2]

• Maximilian Reinelt at FISA WorldRowing.com