Despite its relatively small population, Austria has produced many great athletes in several sports including skiing, Formula One, mountaineering and tennis. Below is a list of Austrian athletes, organized by sport.

Fencing[edit]

• Albert Bogen (Albert Bógathy) (1882–1961), saber fencer, Olympic silver
• Siegfried "Fritz" Flesch (1872–1939), sabre fencer, Olympic bronze
• Dr. Otto Herschmann (1877–1942), saber fencer, Olympic silver; 100-m freestyle in swimming, Olympic silver
• Ellen Preis (1912–2007), foil fencer, 3-time world champion (1947, 1949, and 1950), Olympic champion, 17-time Austrian champion

Formula One[edit]

Austria has produced two Formula One champions, Jochen Rindt and Niki Lauda. The following is a list of drivers.

• Gerhard Berger (1959–)
• Harald Ertl (1948–1982), Died in 1982 due to an aircraft accident
• Patrick Friesacher (1980–), Drove for Minardi in 2005, scoring three points in the infamous 2005 United States Grand Prix
• Christian Klien (1983–), Drove for Red Bull Racing and HRT in F1.
• Niki Lauda (1949–2019), three time Formula one world champion
• Roland Ratzenberger (1960–1994), died in 1994 due to race related accident
• Jochen Rindt (1942–1970), Formula one world champion, died in 1970 due to race related accident
• Karl Wendlinger (1968–), currently driving in the FIA GT Championship
• Alexander Wurz (1974–), currently driving for Honda (as a test driver)

Football[edit]

The Bundesliga is Austria's professional football league. Among its better-known clubs are Red Bull Salzburg, Rapid Wien and Sturm Graz. Below is a list of football players from Austria.

• David Alaba (1992–) – player
• Marko Arnautović (1989–) – player
• Stefan Bliem (1983–) – goalkeeper
• Otto Fischer (1901–1941), footballer and coach
• Toni Fritsch (1945–2005), former Austrian football player and former placekicker for several National Football League teams (American football)
• Andreas Herzog (1968–)
• Josef Hickersberger (1948–), football player and coach
• Veli Kavlak (1988–) – player
• Hans Krankl (1953–), footballer and coach
• Božo Kovačević (1979–)
• Yasin Pehlivan (1989–) – player
• Emanuel Pogatetz (1983–)
• Toni Polster (1964–)
• Herbert Prohaska (1955–)
• Helmut Riegler (1976–)
• Harald Ruckendorfer (1982–)
• Paul Scharner (1980–) – player
• Max Scheuer, footballer; national team
• Heinrich Schönfeld (born 1900), football player
• Matthias Sindelar (1903–1939), nicknamed "the Mozart of football", Voted the greatest Austrian football player of all time.

Hockey[edit]

Below is a partial list of hockey people from Austria.

• Christoph Brandner, NHL hockey player
• André Burakovsky, Austria-born Swedish, left wing (Colorado Avalanche)
• Robert Burakovsky, Sweden, right wing (NHL)
• Reinhard Divis, NHL hockey player
• Hans Dobida, inductee into the IIHF Hall of Fame
• Michael Grabner
• Thomas Vanek, NHL hockey player
• Walter Wasservogel, inductee into the IIHF Hall of Fame

Mountaineering[edit]

On 5 of the 14 Eight-thousanders, Austrians have made the first ascent, more than any other nation. Below is a partial list of mountaineers from Austria.

• Karl Blodig, first to climb all alpine mountains above 4000m
• Hermann Buhl, first ascent of Nanga Parbat (1953), first ascent of Broad Peak (1957)
• Kurt Diemberger, first ascents of Broad Peak (1957) and Dhaulagiri (1960)
• Peter Habeler, first ascent of Mount Everest without oxygen (together with Reinhold Messner)
• Heinrich Harrer, first ascent of the Carstensz Pyramid
• Fritz Moravec, first ascent of Gasherbrum II together with Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart
• Ludwig Purtscheller, first ascent of Kilimanjaro (1889)
• Marcus Schmuck, first ascent of Broad Peak (1957), initiator and leader of the OEAV Karakoram Expedition
• Herbert Tichy, first ascent of Cho Oyu
• Fritz Wintersteller, first ascent of Broad Peak (1957)

Sailing[edit]

• Andreas Geritzer, sailor
• Roman Hagara, sailor (Olympic champion 2000 and 2004 with Hans-Peter Steinacher)
• Hans-Peter Steinacher, sailor (Olympic champion 2000 and 2004 with Roman Hagara)

Skating[edit]

• Fritzi Burger, figure skater, Olympic 2x silver, World Championship 2x silver
• Emese Hunyady, speed skater (Olympic champion 1994)
• Felix Kasper, figure skater, Olympic bronze

Skiing[edit]

Austria has been the birthplace of many great skiers and is 5th in the all-time Winter Olympics medal count. It has won more alpine skiing world cups than any other nation (both individually and nationally). Below is a list of famous skiers from Austria.

• Armin Assinger (1964–)
• Dieter Bartsch (1948–), coach
• Michaela Dorfmeister (1973–), Olympic champion
• Christoph Ebenbichler (1983–)
• Stephan Eberharter (1969–), Olympic champion
• Anna Fenninger (1969–), Olympic champion
• Andreas Goldberger (1972–), ski jumper
• Renate Götschl (1975–)
• Christl Haas (1943–2001)
• Hansi Hinterseer (1954–)
• Marcel Hirscher (1989–)
• Franz Klammer (1953–)
• Hermann Maier (1972–), Olympic champion
• Ulrike Maier, Olympic ski champion (1967–1994)
• Annemarie Moser-Pröll (1953–), Olympic champion
• Patrick Ortlieb (1967–), Olympic champion
• Benjamin Raich (1978–), Olympic champion
• Toni Sailer (1935–2009), Won all three gold medals, earning himself the Triple Crown of Alpine Skiing
• Karl Schnabl (1954–), ski jumper
• Karl Schranz (1938–)
• Thomas Stangassinger (1965–), Olympic champion
• Hubert Strolz (1962–), Olympic champion
• Ernst Vettori (1964–), ski jumper
• Anita Wachter (1967–), Olympic champion
• Felix Gottwald (1976–), Olympic champion

Swimming[edit]

• Margarete "Grete" Adler, Olympic bronze (4x100-meter freestyle relay)
• Hedy Bienenfeld (1907–1976), Austrian-American Olympic swimmer
• Alfred Guth (1908–1996), Austrian-born American water polo player, swimmer, and Olympic modern pentathlete
• Judith Haspel (born "Judith Deutsch"), held every Austrian women's middle and long distance freestyle record in 1935^[1]
• Otto Herschmann, Olympic silver (100-m freestyle)
• Mirna Jukić, swimmer
• Ruth Langer (1921–1999), Austrian swimmer
• Fritzi Löwy (1910–1994), Olympic swimmer
• Klara Milch, Olympic bronze (4x100-m freestyle relay)
• Paul Neumann, Olympic champion (500-m freestyle)
• Maxim Podoprigora, Olympic swimmer
• Shoshana Ribner, Israeli Olympic swimmer
• Markus Rogan, swimmer
• Otto Scheff (born "Otto Sochaczewsky"), Olympic champion (400-m freestyle) and 2x bronze (400-m freestyle, 1,500-m freestyle)
• Josephine Sticker, Olympic bronze (4x100-m freestyle relay)
• Otto Wahle, 2x Olympic silver (1,000-m freestyle, 200-m obstacle race) and bronze (400-m freestyle); International Swimming Hall of Fame

Table tennis[edit]

• Richard Bergmann, table tennis, 7-time world champion, Hall of Fame
• Erwin Kohn, table tennis world champion
• Alfred Liebster, table tennis player
• Werner Schlager, table tennis player (world champion 2003)

Tennis[edit]

In recent years Austria's presence on the international tennis scene has grown significantly. The national teams on the Davis and Federation cups have achieved improved rankings. Austria has also produced a former world number one and French Open champion in Thomas Muster. Below is a list of prominent Austrian tennis players.

• Sybille Bammer

• Eva Duldig (born 1938), Austrian-born Australian and Dutch tennis player, author
• Werner Eschauer
• Nikola Hofmanova
• Melanie Klaffner
• Julian Knowle
• Daniel Köllerer
• Stefan Koubek
• Oliver Marach
• Patricia Mayr
• Jürgen Melzer
• Yvonne Meusburger
• Uberto De Morpurgo (1896–1961), Austrian-born Italian tennis player, World No. 8
• Thomas Muster, former World No. 1, 1995 French Open Champion
• Tamira Paszek
• Barbara Paulus
• Alexander Peya
• Felix Pipes, Olympic silver (doubles)
• Sylvia Plischke
• Barbara Schett
• Dominic Thiem, 2020 US Open Champion
• Barbara Schwartz

Weightlifting[edit]

• Robert Fein (1907–1975), Olympic Champion weightlifter
• Hans Haas, weightlifter, Olympic champion (lightweight), silver
• Mickey Hirschl, weightlifting junior champion

Wrestling[edit]

• Mickey Hirschl, wrestler, 2x Olympic bronze (heavyweight freestyle and Greco-Roman)
• Fred Oberlander, wrestler; world champion (freestyle heavyweight)

Other notables in sport[edit]

• Edin Ibrahimovic, volleyball player
• Kate Allen, triathlete (Olympic champion 2004)
• Toni Fritsch, NFL football player, Super Bowl VI champion
• Stephanie Graf, runner (not related to German tennis player Steffi Graf)
• Alfred Guth (1908–1996), Austrian-born American water polo player, swimmer, and Olympic modern pentathlete
• Walter Hahn, professional wrestler
• Claudia Heill, judoka
• Mickey Hirschl, wrestler, 2x Olympic bronze (heavyweight freestyle and Greco-Roman), shot put and discus junior champion, weightlifting junior champion, and pentathlon champion
• Alfred König (1913–1987), Austrian-Turkish Olympic sprinter
• Sylven Landesberg (born 1990), American-Israeli-Austrian basketball player
• Manfred Magnus (born 1939), motorcycle racer
• Jasmin Ouschan, pool-billiards player
• Rowby-John Rodriguez, darts player
• Nicole Trimmel, kickboxer
• Arnold Schwarzenegger, body builder
• Peter Seisenbacher, judoka (Olympic champion 1984 and 1988)
• Christoph Sieber, surfer (Olympic champion 2000)
• Mensur Suljović, darts player
• Elisabeth Theurer, horse rider
• Georg Totschnig, cyclist
• Christine Wolf, golfer
• Stefan Kraft, ski jumper (world record holder)
• Gregor Schlierenzauer, ski jumper

References[edit]