Max Houben
Encyclopedia
Max Houben was a Belgian
athlete and bobsledder who competed from the early 1920s to the late 1940s. He won a silver medal in the four-man event at the 1948 Winter Olympics
in St. Moritz
and was the oldest medalist at the Winter Olympics (49 years, 278 days) until Canadian
Russ Howard
won a gold medal in men's curling at the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
(50 years, 7 days).
. He also made it to the quarterfinals of the 200 m event
and the semifinals of the 4 x 100 m relay
at the 1920 Summer Olympics
. Houben later switched to bobsleigh
in the 1920s where he would compete in four Winter Olympics (1928
–1948
).
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
. After World War II ended, Houben earned two medals at the 1947 FIBT World Championships
in St. Moritz with a silver in the four-man and a bronze in the two-man event. He would earn his only Winter Olympic medal in the four-man event the following year
, also in St. Moritz.
.
in Lake Placid, New York
in the United States when his sled catapulted off of "Shady" corner at the bobsleigh track
. Houben was killed instantly, and the Belgian team withdrew as a result.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
athlete and bobsledder who competed from the early 1920s to the late 1940s. He won a silver medal in the four-man event at the 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
and was the oldest medalist at the Winter Olympics (49 years, 278 days) until Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Russ Howard
Russ Howard
Russell W. "Russ" Howard, ONL is a Canadian curler and Olympic champion, based in Moncton, New Brunswick, but originally from Midland, Ontario. His home club in Moncton is Curling Beausejour...
won a gold medal in men's curling at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Curling at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Curling at the 2006 Winter Olympics was held in the town of Pinerolo, Italy from February 13 to February 24. It proved to be the sleeper hit in terms of television ratings in Italy. According to a CBC feature, curling at the 2006 Winter Games drew 5 million viewers, eclipsing ice hockey and figure...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
(50 years, 7 days).
Athletics career
As an athlete, Houben was national champion in the 100 m for BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He also made it to the quarterfinals of the 200 m event
Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics - Men's 200 metres
The men's 200 metres event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Thursday, August 19, 1920 and on Friday, August 20, 1920.Forty-eight sprinters from 22 nations competed.-Records:...
and the semifinals of the 4 x 100 m relay
Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics - Men's 4x100 metre relay
The men's 4×100 metres relay event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1920 Summer Olympics. It was the second appearance of this event...
at the 1920 Summer Olympics
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
. Houben later switched to bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
in the 1920s where he would compete in four Winter Olympics (1928
1928 Winter Olympics
The 1928 Winter Olympics, officially known as the II Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 11–19, 1928 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The 1928 Games were the first true Winter Olympics held on its own as they were not in conjunction with a Summer Olympics...
–1948
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
).
Bobsleigh career
At the Winter Olympics, Houben would earn his best finish prior to World War II of fifth in the four-man event at the 1936 Winter Olympics1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
. After World War II ended, Houben earned two medals at the 1947 FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships 1947
The FIBT World Championships 1947 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland for the record sixth time after hosting the event previously in 1931 , 1935 , 1937 , 1938 , and 1939...
in St. Moritz with a silver in the four-man and a bronze in the two-man event. He would earn his only Winter Olympic medal in the four-man event the following year
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
, also in St. Moritz.
Other sports
Houben was also an active football (soccer) player and also competed in the 24 hours of Francochamps endurance race in auto racingAuto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
.
Death
Houben died during a practice run at the 1949 FIBT World ChampionshipsFIBT World Championships 1949
The FIBT World Championships 1949 took place in Lake Placid, New York, United States. It marked the first time the championships took place outside of Europe.-Two man bobsleigh:-Four man bobsleigh:...
in Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
in the United States when his sled catapulted off of "Shady" corner at the bobsleigh track
Lake Placid bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track
The Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Bobsled Run. is a venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton located in Lake Placid, New York, United States. This venue was used for the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics and for the only winter Goodwill Games in 2000...
. Houben was killed instantly, and the Belgian team withdrew as a result.