50 worldwide contenders for 2012: Max Hoff
Last updated on .From the section Olympics
Canoe sprint
Born: 12/09/82
Career highlights
Originally a whitewater paddler, Hoff has become a major force in canoe sprint events in recent years. He finished fifth behind British winner Tim Brabants at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing but has since earned back-to-back world titles and three successive European gold medals over 1000m.
Other career
He was crowned wildwater canoeing world champion in 2006, but then started training in the 1000m sprint event.
A recent bio-chemist graduate, Hoff insists he would not have been able to maintain a career in canoeing without handouts from his grandmother.
