Ralf Bartels

Ralf Bartels (born 21 February 1978 in Stavenhagen, Germany, then German Democratic Republic) is a German shot putter. He became European Champion at the 2006 European Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg, Sweden after beating Belarusian Andrei Mikhnevich with a final put of 21.13 metres, two centimetres ahead of the Belarusian. Bartels also won bronze at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, with a put of 20.99 m. He had previously been a bronze medalist at the 2002 European Athletics Championships.