Photo: Erik van Leeuwen / GFDL (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I have a soft spot for the shot put, that brutal honesty of a single explosive throw, and Ralf Bartels embodies it. A 186 cm giant from Stavenhagen in the former East Germany, he took the 2006 European title in Gothenburg with a 21.13 m put, edging Belarus's Andrei Mikhnevich by a mere two centimeters. Those two centimeters move me; they're the margin only years of grinding with an iron ball can earn. There's something quietly noble about an athlete shaped by the old GDR system who later stood atop Europe under the unified German flag. Unflashy, proud, a craftsman of force, he has my respect.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ralf Bartels
- Name (Japanese)
- ラルフ・バーテルス
- Reading
- らるふ・ばーてるす
- Born
- February 21, 1978 (age 48)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Horse
- Origin
- Stavenhagen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
- Height
- 186 cm
- Occupation
- athletics competitor
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Ralf Bartels born?
Born February 21, 1978 (age 48).
Where is Ralf Bartels from?
Ralf Bartels is from Stavenhagen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
What does Ralf Bartels do?
Ralf Bartels works as athletics competitor.
How tall is Ralf Bartels?
Ralf Bartels is 186 cm.
Athletics competitor — see all → · More people from Germany →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.