Print Biography / Save as PDF 
HARTUNG Max
NOC Germany   
GenderMen
Born 08 Oct 1989 in Aachen, FRG
Height1.89 m
Human Interest
General Interest
Injuries He sustained an ankle injury in June 2019 but the injury did not prevent him from competing at the European championships the same month. (Instagram profile, 06 Jun 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 12 Apr 2022)

He sustained a wrist injury at the 2018 World Cup event in Padua, Italy. (sportverband-dormagen.de, 05 Feb 2018; Twitter profile, 04 Feb 2018)

He was injured during the semifinal of the 2013 World Cup event in Madrid, Spain, and had to withdraw from the tournament. (fechten.org, 11 Feb 2013)

He had a knee injury in 2009 but recovered in time to win gold at the 2009 World Junior Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (dormagen-fechten.de, 01 Jul 2009)
Further Personal Information
Residence Cologne, GER
Higher education Economics, Politics, Sociology - Zeppelin University: Friedrichshafen, GER
General Interest
Other information RETIREMENT
He announced his retirement from the sport after he competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "The Olympic Games in Tokyo were my last after London and Rio. They were the last milestone of an exciting journey. I am proud of my achievements and grateful for what I was able to experience. I will always be connected to fencing. I will remain a fencer all my life." (Instagram profile, 30 Aug 2021)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He was named chairman of the athletes' commission of the German Olympic Sports Confederation [DOSB] in January 2017. He has also served as an athlete representative and member of the supervisory board of the foundation German Sports Aid, and as an athlete representative and executive board member at the German Fencing Federation [DFB]. (athlet.one, 01 May 2020; max-hartung.de, 13 Nov 2019; fechten.org, 27 Feb 2019, 15 Sep 2014; sueddeutsche.de, 03 May 2019; LinkedIn profile, 2017; ruhrnachrichten.de, 05 Mar 2017; wdr.de, 14 Mar 2016)

FURTHER EDUCATION
Having graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology, politics and economics from Zeppelin University, he enrolled in a master's degree in CSR and NGO management at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg [H-BRS] in 2020. "As far as my career goes, I'd like to help shape society through sport and education after I hang up my sabre. I'm hoping that my degree at H-BRS will broaden my horizons and teach me some really practical skills for working in the tertiary sector." (h-brs.de, 27 Aug 2020)

PODCAST
In 2019 he started a podcast titled 'Demaskiert' [Unmasked] with German national teammate Matyas Szabo, which followed their journey to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (max-hartung.de, 13 Nov 2019)
Sport Specific Information
Handedness Right
Further Personal Information
Languages English, German
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? "My coach was very serious about it from the start and I won my first competition as a child."
General Interest
Awards and honours In 2019 he was named Fencer of the Year by the German Fencing Federation [DFB]. He, Benedikt Wagner, Matyas Szabo, and Bjorn Hubner-Fehrer were also named Team of the Year. (dormagen-fechten.de, 06 Apr 2020; rp-online.de, 08 Apr 2020)

He was presented with the 2018 Athlete of the Year Award in Cologne, Germany. (sport-rhein-erft.de, 06 Apr 2019)

In 2017 he received the Ministermedaille [Minister Medal] from the German Armed Forces. (faz.net, 06 Feb 2017)

He was named the 2015 Sportsman of the Year in Dormagen, Germany. (Facebook page, 18 Mar 2016; dormagen.de, 17 Mar 2016)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport? He began fencing at age eight at primary school in Germany.
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto "The sporting career of all athletes should take place in a protected space in which they can fully develop their potential as athletes and personalities. This space can only be created with the participation of the athletes." (athleten-deutschland.org, 10 Feb 2021)

Major Results
Year Rank Event Venue
Olympic Games
2020 4 Team Sabre Tokyo, Japan
2012 5 Team Sabre London, England
2012 Quarterfinal Individual Sabre London, England
World Championships
2019 4 Team Sabre Budapest, Hungary
2018 Final 5-6 Team Sabre Wuxi, China
2015 3 Individual Sabre Moscow, Russia
2014 1 Team Sabre Kazan, Russia
2014 Quarterfinal Individual Sabre Kazan, Russia
2013 6 Individual Sabre Budapest, Hungary
2011 4 Team Sabre Catania, Italy
2010 5 Team Sabre Paris, France
2007 8 Team Sabre St. Petersburg, Russia
European Championships
2019 1 Team Sabre Düsseldorf, Germany
2019 3 Individual Sabre Düsseldorf, Germany
2018 1 Individual Sabre Novi Sad, Serbia
2018 3 Team Sabre Novi Sad, Serbia
2017 1 Individual Sabre Tbilisi, Georgia
2017 4 Team Sabre Tbilisi, Georgia
2015 2 Individual Sabre Montreux, Switzerland
2013 5 Team Sabre Zagreb, Croatia
2011 3 Individual Sabre Sheffield, England
2010 3 Team Sabre Leipzig, Germany
2008 8 Team Sabre Kiev, Ukraine