Norman Bröckl

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Norman Bröckl (born 22 August 1986 in Berlin), is a German flatwater canoer and former world champion.

Bröckl enjoyed great success as a junior. At the 2003 Junior World Championships in Komatsu, Japan he won a K2 1000m gold medal (partnering Lieven Spur) and the individual K1 500m silver medal, behind Portugal's Emanuel Silva. In 2004 he dominated the Junior European Championships, winning three gold medals (K1 500m, K1 1000mm and K4 500m).

He was promoted to Germany's senior four-man kayak crew in 2005. His senior debut, at the European championships in Poznań, went badly - Bröckl has admitted that he "froze" - and the German crew finished outside the medals in both the 500mm and 1000m races. They did take the 200m bronze medal on the last day of the championships, but the German coaches decided that Bröckl was not yet ready for the responsibility of leading the crew from the bow-seat in the (more tactical) longer distance races. He therefore switched seats with the more experienced Lutz Altepost for the 1000m races at the world championships in Zagreb, Croatia. This time there were no nerves and Germany won the K4 1000m gold medal. In the 200m final, with Bröckl leading, they picked up another bronze medal.

2006 proved a disappointing season for Bröckl and his teammates. They took the 1000m bronze medal at the European Championships in Račice, Czech Republic in July. However at the World Championships in Szeged, Hungary, the German K4 "Flagschiff" finished outside the medals in all three distances. Not since 1977 had no German K4 boat made the podium.

Bröckl is a member of the Pro Sport Berlin club.


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