Horst Hörnlein

Horst Hörnlein (also known as Horst Hömlein, born 31 May 1945 in Möhrenbach) is a former East German luger and bobsleigh coach who competed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He and Reinhard Bredow won the gold medal in the men's doubles event (shared with the Italians Paul Hildgartner and Walter Plaikner) at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo.^[1]

Horst Hörnlein

Hörnlein (top) in 1971
Medal record Men's Luge Representing  East Germany Olympic Games 1972 Sapporo Men's doubles World Championships 1973 Oberhof Men's doubles 1969 Königssee Men's doubles 1965 Davos Men's doubles 1970 Königssee Men's doubles 1971 Olang Men's doubles European Championships 1970 Hammarstrand Men's doubles 1971 Imst Men's singles 1972 Königssee Men's doubles 1970 Hammarstrand Men's singles

Hörnlein also won five medals in the men's doubles event at the FIL World Luge Championships with one gold (1973), one silver (1969), and three bronzes (1965, 1970, 1971). He won four medals at the FIL European Luge Championships with three golds (Men's singles: 1971, Men's doubles: 1970, 1972) and one bronze (Men's singles: 1970).^[2]

After his retirement from competition, he became a bobsleigh coach, training the East German team from 1973 to 1990, and later coaching the British and Irish teams. He also served as head of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation's bobsleigh development programme, working with bobsledders from developing countries.^[3][4]