Paul Gunther (GER)

Honor Pioneer Diver (1988)

FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1912 gold (springboard).

Paul Gunther won a gold at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics in springboard diving.  Gunther led the German divers who won the first four places dominating the springboard diving event.  Fifth place went to Canada’s Bob Zimmerman.  The men’s springboard was the first final that took place in the swimming stadium at the 1912 Games. Gunther and his teammates had to adapt their diving form which required a diver to remain in a position with his chest hallowed and head thrown back until his disappearance in the water, resembling a continuous explosion of submarine mines.  Gunther and his teammate adapted themselves wonderfully and each made a clean entry and maintained the German Olympic dominance of springboard begun in 1908.