Klaus Siebert Dead at Age 60
Beloved Coach and Athlete, Multi World Champion, World Cup Total Score Champion and well-known coach Klaus Siebert died on Sunday after a long battle with cancer, just four days before his 61st birthday.
The former German biathlete was a fixture in biathlon since his glory days as an athlete in the mid-to-late seventies. During that time, he won three WCH Gold medals, the 1979 World Cup Total Score, eight World Cup competitions, and an Olympic Relay Silver medal at Lake Placid in 1980. After retiring from competition, he went on to a successful coaching career with the German, Chinese and Belarusian teams. Among his biggest success stories with the German Team was the now Russian Men's Coach Ricco Gross.
Siebert's biggest success came during his final coaching stop from 2008-2014 with the Belarusian Women's team that included Darya Domracheva and Nadezhda Skardino, where he developed a strong bond with the whole team and federation. After an initial bout with cancer in late 2011, Siebert returned to the team the next summer while still under treatment, leading Domracheva at the time to call him, "my hero." He continued with the team through the 2014 Olympic Winter Games when his protégé Domracheva won three Olympic Gold medals and Skardino a Bronze medal. After those Games, Siebert stepped down from coaching due to focus on his health.
"Our Superman"
Upon hearing of his passing, Skardino commented, "He was our Superman... our coach, psychologist, teacher and friend at the same time...for me; he was like a king of biathlon... I'm very grateful for everything he has taught me. Above all, he taught me to love life and biathlon at the same time. He will always remain in my heart and that of the other girls. I can only say. 'Thank you, Klaus. Thank you for all the time you have been with us."
Domracheva as part of a group video greeting to Siebert in late January said, "We love you with all our heart and are always with you."
The IBU and the biathlon family extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Klaus Siebert.