Stéphane Franke

Who was Stéphane Franke?

Stéphane Franke was a long-distance runner representing Germany, who twice won the bronze medal in the men's 10.000 metres at the European Championships. He represented Germany twice at the Summer Olympics, in 1992 and 1996 in Atlanta.

Having been born in Versailles, France, Franke also held French citizenship. At age five, he moved to Bergisch Gladbach with his family. Eventually they made their home in Filderstadt, near Stuttgart. Franke joined SV Salamander Kornwestheim from Kornwestheim, also near Stuttgart. In 1997, he moved to Berlin and became part of SC Charlottenburg Berlin.

He died in Potsdam, Germany, on June 23, 2011, of lymphatic cancer, within five weeks of being diagnosed with the disease, at the age of 47.