Hamburg  - German 800 metres runner Rene Harms was found dead in his flat on Saturday with police saying on Sunday that a post-mortem will determine the cause of his death. He was 26.

"There is no suspicion of a crime, outside influence or suicide," police spokesman Mike Niebel said.

Herms was found in his flat in the eastern German town of Lohmen on Saturday by his mother-in-law who was asked to check by his wife after he did not answer the phone. There has been speculation about heart problems and Herms reportedly had a flu last week.

Herms won six German 800m titles, was an Olympic semi-finalist in 2004 and a European junior champion over the distance in 2001. dpa