Fritz Traun

Traun was a multi-talented sportsman, but was primarily known as a track and field athlete when he competed at the 1896 Olympics. He was Germany's best middle distance runner of the time, yet failed to qualify in the heats of the 100 and 800 metres in Athens. He then switched to tennis, which he had been playing for several years. He was a board member of the Heidelburg Tennis Club, but was not known as a player. He was beaten by Boland in the singles, but was then invited to join the Irishman in the doubles tournament. The two won that event with considerable ease. Traun switched his main focus to tennis after the Games, although he would better the German long jump record later that year. He won various tennis tournaments in Germany, his last an biggest success being the Austrian Tournament in Prague of 1902, where he won both the singles and doubles. In the winter of 1904, he competed with his bobsled "Hansa" at various St. Moritz competitions, achieving some good results. He was also a co-founder and secretary general of the Hamburg Golf Club, and a keen automobile owner. In 1908, he married Friedel Preetorius, and they left for a three-month honeymoon by car. After returning to Germany, they settled in a Hamburg hotel. Just a month later, Traun was found dead, having shot himself for reasons unknown. Traun, who worked for his father's company, left his wife behind pregnant. Their daughter Lieselotte was born half a year after his death.

Personal Bests: 100 – unknown; 800 – 2.08.1y (1895).