Johannes Polgar

{{short description|German sailor}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}} {{Infobox sailor | name = Johannes Polgar | image = | caption = | full_name = Johannes Sebastian Polgar | nickname = ''Jojo'' | nationality = {{GER}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|8|25|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Olpe, Germany|Olpe]], [[North Rhine-Westphalia]], [[West Germany]] | height = {{height|m=1.83|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|74|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} | classes = [[Multihull]], [[keelboat]] | club = [[Norddeutscher Regatta Verein]] | coach = Rigo de Nijs (NOR) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[sailing (sport)|sailing]]}} {{MedalCountry | Germany }} {{MedalCompetition|[[European championships in sailing|European Championships]]}} {{MedalGold | 2010 Viareggio | Star}} | show-medals = yes }}

'''Johannes Sebastian Polgar''' (born 25 August 1977) is a German sailor who specialized in the multihull ([[Tornado (sailboat)|Tornado]]) and keelboat ([[Star (keelboat)|Star]]) classes.<ref>{{cite sports-reference|title=Johannes Polgar|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/po/johannes-polgar-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417081149/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/po/johannes-polgar-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 April 2020|access-date=27 June 2020}}</ref> Together with his partner Florian Spalteholz, he was named one of the country's top sailors in the mixed multihull catamaran for the [[2008 Summer Olympics]], finishing in eighth place.<ref name=polgar-beijing>{{cite news|title=Spain wins gold in Tornado as Australia loses gamble|url=http://2008.sina.com.cn/en/news/2008-08-21/16477858.html|publisher=[[Sina Corp]]|date=21 August 2008|access-date=27 June 2020}}</ref> After the Games, Polgar decided to move into the Star class and eventually shared a gold-medal victory with his partner Markus Koy at the 2010 Europeans in [[Viareggio]], [[Italy]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Polgar And Koy Claim Star European Championship In Record Fleet|url=https://www.sailing.org/news/3618.php#.XvbuLZMzYyk|publisher=[[World Sailing]]|date=14 June 2010|access-date=27 June 2020}}</ref> A member of North German Regatta Club ({{langx|de|[[Norddeutscher Regatta Verein]]}}), Polgar trained for most of his competitive sailing career under the tutelage of his Norwegian-born personal coach Rigo de Nijs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Eröffnung soll Segler Polgar Rückenwind geben|trans-title=Sailor Polgar most likely to attend the opening|language=de|url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/archiv/teilnahme-an-eroeffnungsfeier-eroeffnung-soll-segler-polgar-rueckenwind-geben/3000408.html?ticket=ST-4391672-SEK5K93QVZQ915a9N9Gv-ap5|publisher=[[Handelsblatt]]|date=7 August 2008|access-date=27 June 2020}}</ref>

Polgar competed for the German sailing squad as a 30-year-old skipper in the [[Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Tornado|Tornado]] class at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]]. Leading up to their maiden Games, he and crew member Spalteholz topped the selection criteria in a duel against brothers Tino and Niko Mittelmeier for the country's Tornado berth, based on their cumulative scores attained at two international regattas stipulated by the [[German Sailing Federation]] ({{langx|de|Deutscher Segler Verband}}).<ref>{{cite news|title=Die ersten Hamburger für Olympia|trans-title=The Hamburg natives are going to the Olympics|language=de|url=https://www.bild.de/sport/olympia/zwei-wie-ein-tornado-zu-olympia-4376920.bild.html|publisher=[[Bild]]|date=24 April 2008|access-date=27 June 2020}}</ref> The German duo started off the race series in the middle of the fleet until shifty wind conditions propelled them to the front in the final half with a single victory and a triad of top-five marks, making both Polgar and Spalteholz eligible for the medal race.<ref>{{cite news|title=Echavarri and Paz Tie With Bundock and Ashby|url=https://www.sailing.org/news/4263.php|publisher=[[World Sailing]]|date=17 August 2008|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Echavarri and Paz Team To Beat In Tornado Medal Race|url=https://www.sailing.org/news/4250.php|publisher=[[World Sailing]]|date=20 August 2008|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref> An unforeseen capsize by the German duo on the initial run, however, caused their medal chances to vanish, dropping them to eighth overall with 74 net points.<ref name=polgar-beijing/><ref>{{cite news|title=Echavarri and Paz of Spain Win Tornado Gold|url=https://www.sailing.org/news/4298.php#.Xvb78pMzYyk|publisher=[[World Sailing]]|date=20 August 2008|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Beijing 2008: Open Tornado Class|url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/sailing/resultsandschedules/rsc=SAX006000/standings.html|work=[[Beijing 2008]]|publisher=[[NBC Olympics]]|access-date=11 July 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711172723/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/sailing/resultsandschedules/rsc=SAX006000/standings.html|archive-date=11 July 2012}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{World Sailing|id=GERJP2|www=johannes-polgar}} * {{Olympics.com|johannes-polgar}} * {{web archive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720143330/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=62293/bio/index.html|title=Johannes Polgar at NBC 2008 Olympics website |date=dmy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Polgar, Johannes}} [[Category:1977 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:German male sailors (sport)]] [[Category:Olympic sailors for Germany]] [[Category:Sailors at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Tornado]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Arnsberg (region)]] [[Category:People from Olpe, Germany]]