Germany's 1964 Olympic decathlon gold medallist Willi Holdorf has died at the age of 80 ©Wikipedia

Germany's Olympic decathlon gold medallist Willi Holdorf has died at the age of 80.

He became the first German winner of the Olympic decathlon title in Tokyo 1964, as well as the first non-American winner since Amsterdam 1928. 

Holdorf led after the javelin but only just preserved his position at the top of the standings after staggering across the finish-line in the 1500 metres before collapsing in exhaustion.

He left the sport immediately after the Games.

With a young family to support, Holdorf retired from athletics and worked as an electrician while completing his studies.

But he was to prove influential in many other sports, including the bobsleigh, winning a silver medal in the two-man event at the 1973 European Championships in Cervinia. 

Other roles included working as a football coach with the then Bundesliga club Fortuna Cologne and as an athletics coach in Leverkusen. 

He led pole vaulter Claus Schiprowski to an Olympic silver medal at Mexico City 1968 and also coached hurdler Günther Nickel who won the 60m hurdles title at the inaugural 1970 European Indoor Championships in Vienna.

Holdorf also worked in tennis for Germany's Davis Cup team as a fitness coach. 

Willi Holdorf enjoyed a successful career in a number of sports following his Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 1964 ©Getty Images
Willi Holdorf enjoyed a successful career in a number of sports following his Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 1964 ©Getty Images

In 1997 he became a member of the German Olympic Committee and in 2011 was inducted into the German Sports Hall of Fame.

Among those to share their memories of the first Olympic decathlon champion from Germany were the current world decathlon champion Niklas Kaul and 1996 Olympic silver medallist in the decathlon Frank Busemann. 

As quoted by NRD, Kaul said: "When you start the decathlon, there are a few big names. Willi Holdorf was at the top.

"Not only was he very successful in sports, there was also a strong personality behind him who was also interested in other sports."

Busemann said: "Willi was always my hero. 

"With his Olympic victory in the decathlon he did what everyone wanted. 

"But he always remained human, always had a saying on his face. He never put himself above things, was always on an equal footing and never condescending. 

"He and I and the sport will be missing as a personality."

Holdorf died on Sunday (July 5) at his home near Kiel.