Great sadness for pole vaulter
Fabian Schulze is dead
February 28, 2024, 3:40 p.m
Fabian Schulze represented German athletics at world and European championships several times and even won medals there. But now the sport is in mourning: the former pole vaulter died shortly before his 40th birthday.
German athletics mourns Fabian Schulze. The former pole vaulter died last Sunday at the age of 39 as a result of a “treacherous illness”, the German Athletics Association (DLV) announced. Schulze most recently lived in Sonthofen in the Allgäu near the Austrian border and would have celebrated his 40th birthday at the beginning of March. He leaves behind his wife and two children.
According to DLV, the former top athlete was “not only a figurehead as a pole vaulter, but also from a human perspective a great role model for many other athletes.” Because of his reserved and down-to-earth nature, he was valued by many companions. Long-time national pole vault coach Herbert Czingon described Schulze as a “friendly comrade who was always in the scene with a smile on his face.”
Tim Lobinger (left) and Fabian Schulze at the German Indoor Championships 2006.
(Photo: imago sports photo service)
Schulze was German runner-up several times in his career, and with his best performances of 5.83 meters indoors and 5.81 meters outdoors, he is among the top 15 of the all-time German best lists. He celebrated his greatest successes in the national jersey in 2005 with silver at the U23 European Championships, two years earlier he had won bronze at the U20 European Championships. He came fourth at the 2006 World Indoor Championships, fifth at the 2005 European Indoor Championships, and came sixth at the 2010 Outdoor European Championships and the 2011 European Indoor Championships. His role model was Sergej Bubka, the first 6-meter jumper in track and field history.
“Fabian was a long-time companion, I always looked up to him,” the DLV quotes the former sprinter Marius Broening, who lived in a shared apartment in Munich with Schulze and the long-time German record holder over 200 meters, Tobias Unger, during their active time had. “Fabian became a friend during our time together at Kornwestheim and in Munich,” says Unger: “I am deeply sad and can hardly find words.” In addition to LG Stadtwerke Munich, Schulze also started for LAZ Salamander Kornwestheim-Ludwigsburg, LG Leinfelden-Echterdingen and VfL Sindelfingen.
About a year ago, Schulze, Broening and Unger stood together at Tim Lobinger’s grave in Munich, writes the DLV. The former world and European indoor champion died on February 16, 2023 due to cancer at the age of 50.