Obituary

Daniel Robin, Double Olympic Silver Medalist and Hall of Fame Wrestler, Dies at 74

Thursday, May 24, 2018 - 13:25 By Tim Foley

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 24) – Hall of Fame wrestler Daniel ROBIN (FRA), who won two silver medals at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, died Wednesday at the age of 74.

A native on Bron, France (near Lyon) Robin became France’s first first world champion wrestler in 1967. At the 1968 Olympic Games Robin earned silver medals in Greco-Roman and freestyle, both at welterweight. He is the only wrestler to ever earn two silver medals at the same Olympic Games.

Following his career on the mat, Robin became head national team coach for France and later vice-president of the French Wrestling Federation. After retirement Robin began working with FILA and United World Wrestling as a technical delegate. In 2010 Robin was named to the organizing committee of the 2012 London Olympics as director of the wrestling operations.

Robin was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012.

“Daniel was a great champion of our sport and his passion for wrestling was everlasting,” said United World Wrestling president Nenad LALOVIC. “As a person he touched the lives of many through kindness and his willingness to share how wrestling had such a positive impact on his life. My condolences go out to his family during this time.”

Robin was the in-house French announcer at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and was the technical delegate for the 2018 Commonwealth Games last month in Gold Coast, Australia.

Wrestlers from around the world remembered Robin with fondness Wednesday, remarking on his positive attitude and passion for developing the sport.

“Daniel Robin was an ambassador for wrestling and his commitment to improving the sport never stopped, he was actively involved with young wrestlers. His accomplishment as a double Olympic silver medallist depicts his passion for the sport in a feat that is one of a kind,” said Secretary General Michel DUSSON.

“He devoted his life to wrestling and was an accomplished champion but more over a great friend. He will be dearly missed, and my thoughts are with his family.”

#WrestleParis

Olympic champion Focken carries Olympic torch for Paris 2024

Thursday, June 27, 2024 - 09:38 By Vinay Siwach

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ALSACE, France (June 27) -- Tokyo Olympic champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) was part of the Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday in Alsace, stage 41 of the relay for the 2024 Paris Games.

"It was magical," Focken said. "It was a short run for only a few minutes but I enjoyed it. I felt the Olympic spirit and pride to run with the torch. We were briefed a lot, about the significance of the torch and it's for peace and I felt it all the time. It was special."

The relay began from the European Parliament and then passed in front of the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. It also lit up the city’s covered bridges, the Grande île district, the Alsatian Museum and the Notre Dame gothic cathedral before finishing at Place Kléber, in the city’s heart, where the celebration venue was located.

 

The Olympic Torch Relay continued its voyage through eastern France with a distinctly European tone. In addition to putting the spotlight on the gems of Alsace, the Olympic Torch Relay also highlighted fraternity between people, such as Franco-German links, which were celebrated during an exceptional collective relay on the Three Countries Bridge in Huningue. Another collective relay took place in Strasbourg, dedicated, as each day, to a specific sport.

Focken carried the torch at the start of the three country bridge for 250 metres. The starting point of Focken's run was in Germany while her finish was in France. She then handed over the Olympic Torch to Frenchman Eric Kueny, representative of the host country in Huningue.

Aline FOCKEN (GER)Aline FOCKEN (GER) with the Olympic torch on Wednesday. (Photo: Lewis Joly)

Focken, who won the gold medal in 76kg weight class in Tokyo, became the first woman from Germany to win gold at the Olympics in wrestling. She said her feeling was similar to Olympic Games but she was nervous before the run.

"I was nervous," she said. "It's different and all the TV is around you. I was relaxed but nervous. It was a really special moment and I thought that this may be the last Olympic moment for you so just enjoy it. I took my family with me to the relay."