Joseph Benz

Joseph Benz

Personal information
Born	(1944-05-20)20 May 1944 Zurich, Switzerland
Died	5 February 2021(2021-02-05) (aged 76) Zurich, Switzerland
Medal record Men's Bobsleigh Representing  Switzerland Olympic Games 1980 Lake Placid Two-man 1976 Innsbruck Four-man 1980 Lake Placid Four-man 1976 Innsbruck Two-man World Championships 1975 Cervinia Four-man 1978 Lake Placid Two-man 1979 Königssee Two-man 1977 St. Moritz Four-man 1978 Lake Placid Four-man 1979 Königssee Four-man 1981 Cortina d'Ampezzo Two-man 1981 Cortina d'Ampezzo Four-man

Joseph "Josef" or "Sepp" Benz (20 May 1944 – 5 February 2021) was a Swiss bobsledder who competed from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won four medals with one gold (Two-man: 1980), two silvers (Four-man: 1976, 1980), and one bronze (Two-man: 1976).

Career

Benz, who was born in Zurich, won eight medals at the FIBT World Championships with three golds (Two-man: 1978, 1979; Four-man: 1981), two silvers (Four-man: 1977, 1978), and three bronzes (Two-man: 1981, Four-man: 1979, 1981).

In 2008, he was named chairman of the Sport Commission for artificial track luge for the International Luge Federation (FIL). Benz also was a postal clerk in his native Switzerland. He served as chairman of the FIL Youth Commission before serving as chairman of the Sport Commission from 2008 to 2014. During his tenure in Artificial track, Benz created the team relay event that was first held at the 2008 world championships and became an event at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Death

Benz died from COVID-19 on 5 February 2021, at age 76, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland.^[1]

References

External links

• Bobsleigh two-man Olympic medalists 1932-56 and since 1964 Archived 10 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
• Bobsleigh four-man Olympic medalists for 1924, 1932-56, and since 1964 Archived 23 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine
• Bobsleigh two-man world championship medalists since 1931
• Bobsleigh four-man world championship medalists since 1930
• Joseph Benz at databaseOlympics.com (archived)
• FIL-Luge.org June 20, 2008 article on Benz's selection as FIL chairman of the artificial track sport commission - accessed 27 June 2008.
• FIL-Luge listing of Benz's 5 February 2021 death. - accessed 6 February 2021
• IBSF listing of Benz's 5 February 2021 death. - accessed 6 February 2021.
• Joseph Benz at Olympedia
• Joseph Benz at Olympics.com

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