The magic of Letzigrund

Thun: 1961 the last ÖLV winner in Zurich to date

Heinrich Thun during training(Bild: Österreichisches Bundesheer)

The magic of Letzigrund. It's that time again this Thursday. The world's best athletics meeting, which was first held in 1928, will take place in Zurich in the stadium, which has been sold out for months. Reason enough to once again recall our legendary Heinrich Thun, who died on August 14 at the age of 85 and will be buried in Perchtoldsdorf next Friday. In 1961, he provided a great moment for Austrian athletics in Zurich.

The "Krone" reports from Zurich

The Viennese, once one of the world's best hammer throwers, is the last Austrian men's athlete to be listed as an official winner in the "Golden Book" of the "Weltklasse". However, Heinrich Thun's historic triumph 63 (!) years ago is usually forgotten, even in insider crises.

Among the many international successes of the ever so modest giant, his hammer throw victory with 63.20 m on June 27, 1961 in Zurich occupies a significant place in retrospect - especially when you consider the outstanding status of the Zurich "world class" and that only a trio of ÖLV athletes had ever won in the Letzigrund. Only Rudi Klaban (800 m) and Josef Cegledi (1500 m) had won in the Letzigrund before Heinrich Thun in 196. Although Robert Nemeth won a 1500 m race in Zurich in 1981, Sebastian Coe was 4.20 seconds faster than the Austrian with his split time in his world record in the mile. This is why Thun is regarded as Austria's last men's winner in the Letzigrund to date.

Heinrich Thun during fitness training(Bild: Österreichisches Bundesheer)

"Best piece of the ÖLV"
 A success that was naturally honored by the domestic media. "Thun now also conquers Zurich" was the headline of the "Illustrierte Kronen-Zeitung" at the time. The article stated that the Austrian Athletics Federation "really has no regrets about giving its best piece, the hammer thrower Thun, the opportunity to compete abroad. After his victory at the Prague meeting, the Viennese won the competition on Tuesday evening in Zurich's famous Letzigrund Stadium with 63.20 meters." In "pouring rain", as the specialist magazine "Sport" (Zurich) reported, this was a huge distance in front of 8500 spectators. The ÖLV was delighted in its "Mitteilungen, 4. Folge 1961": "Thun continues its winning streak at Letzigrund. Heinrich Thun secured the only Austrian victory at the international meeting of the LC-Zurich at Letzigrund, which was once again magnificently attended."

Thun conquers Zurich.(Bild: Kronen Zeitung, 30. Juni 1961)

New Letzigrund record
Heinrich Thun made headlines not only in Austria, but also internationally. The Zurich "Tages-Anzeiger" newspaper reported the day after the meeting that the Austrian was one of the "outstanding throwers" of the 1961 "world class". "We had already made the acquaintance of hammer thrower Thun last year. He did not disappoint this time either, improving his own Letzigrund record in his first attempt (with four turns) and distancing his strongest opponent by four meters." Thun, who won ahead of the Yugoslavian Olympic sixth-placed Zvonko Bezak (59.28 m), was an "old acquaintance" in Zurich. He had already thrown a stadium record of 62.48 m there in 1960 as part of the international competition between Switzerland and Austria (July 23/24).

Hammer throw in Zurich 1961(Bild: „Weltklasse“ 1961 (Archiv LCZ))

Place of honour in the Golden Book
In 1961, Heinrich Thun was of course also announced as one of the participants in the hammer throw in the program booklet for "Weltklasse in Zürich", which cost just 70 centimes at the time; a year later, the Austrian was listed in the program booklet with his stadium record of 63.20 m. Heinrich Thun is finally listed for all time in the "Golden Book of World Class Zurich" in the hammer throw statistics as the winner. The Austrian is mentioned in the same breath as the all-time greats Gyula Zsivotzky, Anatoliy Bondartschuk, Karl-Hans Riehm, Yuri Sedych and Sergey Litvinov.

Golden book of "world class"(Bild: 75 Jahre LCZ)

Consistency as a trump card
Under the title "Heinrich Thun at a lonely height", Dr. Walter Smekal summarized his report on Austrian athletics in 1961 in the "Sportjahrbuch": "Heinrich Thun's sensational performances in the hammer throw went beyond the bounds of normality!" Thun, who in addition to his 63.20 m achieved in the rain in Zurich had further "world-class throws of 67 and 68 meters", was now "probably the best Austrian track and field athlete of all time". His "brilliant performances are no coincidence, but the product of the hardest training work."

Minister Dr. Drimmel honors Thun.(Bild: Österreichisches Bundesheer)

In 1961 (and throughout his career), the German "Leichtathletik" frequently published pages of praise for Heinrich Thun. His consistency of performance, "his great strength", "with which he can already compete with all world-class throwers" were repeatedly emphasized. In 1961, even journalists "who otherwise devoted themselves almost exclusively to soccer were shaken up a little and celebrated the performance of an Austrian athlete with gaudy titles."

Self-criticism: "Lazy dog!"
 The German "Leichtathletik" went on to say: "Thun possesses several attributes that are generally not very pronounced in Austrian athletes. Above all, perseverance in training. In addition, unlike most athletes, he is very self-critical, as can be seen from an entry in his training log, which he keeps regularly. It says, for example: 'No explosive power, no turning speed, form and condition at zero - lazy dog!' Another of Thun's particular strengths lies in his calmness and nerve, which allows him to show off his full form at major international events." Like on that memorable evening for Austrian athletics on June 27, 1961 in Zurich.

Number 1 in the world in 1963
The victory in the Letzigrund was one of the countless highlights in Heinrich Thun's great career, crowned (as recently acknowledged in the "Kronen Zeitung") with the 1960 and 1964 Olympic finals and fourth place at the 1962 European Championships. 1963 was nevertheless his greatest year of competition. On October 5 in Vienna-Speising, he won the still unforgettable duel against the US world record holder and Olympic champion Harold Connolly and at the end of the year he was number 1 on the world's best list.

Party for Heinrich Thun(Bild: Familie Thun)

All of these were great moments in Austrian athletics that have mostly been forgotten. But his friends, who will bid him farewell on Friday (1pm) at the cemetery in Perchtoldsdorf, will remember him forever as one of the most successful Austrian track and field athletes in history and, above all, as a loving and modest person.