Birgit Fischer
Encyclopedia
Birgit Fischer (born February 25, 1962) is a kayaker
, who has won eight gold medals over six different Olympic Games
, a record she shares with Aladár Gerevich
, spanning seven Olympiad
s: twice representing East Germany (interrupted by the boycott of 1984), then four times representing the reunited nation
. After both the 1988 and 2000 games, she announced her retirement, only to return for the subsequent games. She has been both the youngest- and oldest-ever Olympic canoeing champion (ages 18 and 42). In 2004 she was voted German sportswoman of the year.
Fischer was born in Brandenburg an der Havel
, then in East Germany. She attended an ASK (army sports club) boarding school
in Potsdam
, and worked as a sports instructor in the National People's Army
, attaining a rank of major
by the time of German reunification
in 1990. She was married from 1984 to 1993 to canoe
ist Jörg Schmidt, silver medalist in the C-1 1000 m event
at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
. She lives with their two children in Brandenburg. In 1999 she stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for the FDP
in the European Parliament election
. Fischer's niece, Fanny
, competed for Germany at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
, winning a gold in the K-4 500 m event. Fischer's brother Frank
won nine world championship medals between 1981 and 1986.
She also won 38 different ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships medals between 1978 and 2005, including 28 golds. Fischer's career medal count was surpassed by Hungary
's Katalin Kovács
at the 2011 championships
in Szeged
.
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
, who has won eight gold medals over six different Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, a record she shares with Aladár Gerevich
Aladár Gerevich
Aladár Gerevich was a fencer from Hungary, regarded as "the greatest Olympic swordsman ever". He won medals in sabre in six Olympics. With Birgit Fischer, Gerevich was one of only two athletes to do so. He is also the only athlete to win the same event six times...
, spanning seven Olympiad
Olympiad
An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. In the Hellenistic period, beginning with Ephorus, Olympiads were used as calendar epoch....
s: twice representing East Germany (interrupted by the boycott of 1984), then four times representing the reunited nation
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. After both the 1988 and 2000 games, she announced her retirement, only to return for the subsequent games. She has been both the youngest- and oldest-ever Olympic canoeing champion (ages 18 and 42). In 2004 she was voted German sportswoman of the year.
Fischer was born in Brandenburg an der Havel
Brandenburg (town)
Brandenburg an der Havel is a town in the state of Brandenburg, Germany, with a population of 71,778 . It is located on the banks of the River Havel. The town of Brandenburg, which is almost as widely known as the state of Brandenburg, provided the name for the medieval Bishopric of Brandenburg,...
, then in East Germany. She attended an ASK (army sports club) boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, and worked as a sports instructor in the National People's Army
National People's Army
The National People’s Army were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic .The NVA was established in 1956 and disestablished in 1990. There were frequent reports of East German advisors with Communist African countries during the Cold War...
, attaining a rank of major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
by the time of German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
in 1990. She was married from 1984 to 1993 to canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
ist Jörg Schmidt, silver medalist in the C-1 1000 m event
Canoeing at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's C-1 1000 metres
The men's C-1 1000 metres event was an open-style, individual canoeing event conducted as part of the Canoeing at the 1988 Summer Olympics program.-Medallists:-Heats:Fifteen competitors were entered...
at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. She lives with their two children in Brandenburg. In 1999 she stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for the FDP
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
in the European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 1999 (Germany)
The European Parliament election of 1999 in Germany was the election of MEP representing Germany constituency for the 1999-2004 term of the European Parliament....
. Fischer's niece, Fanny
Fanny Fischer
Fanny Fischer is a German sprint canoer who has been competing since 1996 and on the senior circuit since 2006...
, competed for Germany at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, winning a gold in the K-4 500 m event. Fischer's brother Frank
Frank Fischer
Frank Fischer is an East German sprint canoer who competed from 1981 to 1986. He won nine medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with four golds , three silvers , and two bronzes .-Personal...
won nine world championship medals between 1981 and 1986.
She also won 38 different ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships medals between 1978 and 2005, including 28 golds. Fischer's career medal count was surpassed by Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
's Katalin Kovács
Katalin Kovács
Katalin Kovács is a Hungarian sprint canoer who has competed since 1997. Competing in three Summer Olympics, she won six medals with two golds and four silvers .Kovács also won a record 40 medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships including 31 golds Katalin Kovács (born 29 February 1976...
at the 2011 championships
2011 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 2011 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships was the thirty-ninth edition of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, that took place between 17–21 August 2011 in Szeged, Hungary. The Southern Hungarian city welcomed the world event for the third time, having hosted the championship previously in...
in Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
.