Helga Arendt
Encyclopedia
Helga Arendt is a retired West German
sprinter who competed mainly in the 400 metres
.
In 1987 she finished fourth at the 1987 European Indoor Championships
, only 0.01 second behind bronze medalist Cristina Pérez. Later that year she competed at the 1987 World Championships
. In the 4 x 400 metres relay
she finished fifth with teammates Ute Thimm
, Gudrun Abt
and Gisela Kinzel
. She also competed in the individual 400 metres distance, but did not reach the final round of competition.
On 20 February the next year Arendt helped set a world indoor record of 1:32.55 minutes in the 4 x 200 metres relay, with Silke Knoll
, Mechthild Kluth and Gisela Kinzel of the sports club SC Eintracht Hamm. At the 1988 European Indoor Championships
she won a silver medal in the 400 metres, placing between East Germans Petra Müller and Dagmar Neubauer. At the 1988 Olympic Games
she finished seventh in the 400 metres
and fourth in the 4 x 400 m relay
, with Ute Thimm, Andrea Thomas and Gudrun Abt.
In 1989 came the highlight of Arendt's career as she won the gold medal at the World Indoor Championships
. She beat American Diane Dixon
, who had finished fifth at the Olympics, with a margin of 0.25 seconds. At the 1990 European Championships
, however, Arendt was again knocked out before the final round of the 400 metres competition
, only reaching the semi-final. She finished fourth in the 4 x 400 metres relay
with teammates Karin Janke
, Andrea Thomas and Silke Knoll.
Arendt represented the sports clubs Pulheimer SC, ASV Köln, SC Eintracht Hamm and LG Olympia Dortmund during her active career. She became West German champion in 1988 and 1989, as well as West German indoor champion in 1987, 1988 and 1989. Her personal best times were 23.13 in the 200 metres, achieved in July 1988 in Frankfurt am Main, and 50.36 in the 400 metres, achieved in the 1988 Olympic semi-final in Seoul
.
Arendt is 1.78 metres tall; during her active career she weighed 66 kilograms.
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
sprinter who competed mainly in the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
.
In 1987 she finished fourth at the 1987 European Indoor Championships
1987 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 18th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held at Stade Couvert Régional in Liévin, a city in France, in 1987.-Track:-Field:-Medal table:-External links:* at GBRathletics.com* at GBRathletics.com*...
, only 0.01 second behind bronze medalist Cristina Pérez. Later that year she competed at the 1987 World Championships
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
. In the 4 x 400 metres relay
1987 World Championships in Athletics - Women's 4 x 400 metres relay
The 4 x 400 metres relay at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Stadio Olimpico on September 5 and September 6.-Medals:-Heats:All times shown are in minutes.-Heat 1:...
she finished fifth with teammates Ute Thimm
Ute Thimm
Ute Thimm, née Finger is a German athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.She competed for West Germany in the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, USA in the 4 x 400 metres where she won the bronze medal with her team mates Heike Schulte-Mattler, Heide-Elke Gaugel and Gaby Bußmann. She...
, Gudrun Abt
Gudrun Abt
Gudrun Abt is a retired German hurdler. She was born in Riedlingen.At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul she finished sixth in 400 m hurdles in a personal best time of 54.04 seconds...
and Gisela Kinzel
Gisela Kinzel
Gisela Kinzel, née Gottwald is a retired athlete who represented West Germany. She specialized in 400 metres, and competed for the clubs VfL Gladbeck and SC Eintracht Hamm....
. She also competed in the individual 400 metres distance, but did not reach the final round of competition.
On 20 February the next year Arendt helped set a world indoor record of 1:32.55 minutes in the 4 x 200 metres relay, with Silke Knoll
Silke Knoll
Silke-Beate Knoll was a German track and field athlete and participant in the Olympic Games who had success in the 1980s and 1990s as a sprinter.Her first success was the 1986 German junior title over 200 metres...
, Mechthild Kluth and Gisela Kinzel of the sports club SC Eintracht Hamm. At the 1988 European Indoor Championships
1988 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 19th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, in 1988.- Track :- Field :- Medal table :- External links :* at GBRathletics.com* at GBRathletics.com*...
she won a silver medal in the 400 metres, placing between East Germans Petra Müller and Dagmar Neubauer. At the 1988 Olympic Games
Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics
At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul a total number of 42 events in athletics were contested: 24 by men and 18 by women. There were a total number of 1617 participating athletes from 149 countries.-Men's events:...
she finished seventh in the 400 metres
Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Women's 400 metres
The Women's 400 metres event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entrylist of 48 competitors. The final was run on Monday September 26, 1988 in the Seoul Olympic Stadium.-Medalists:-Records:...
and fourth in the 4 x 400 m relay
Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 400 metre relay
These are the official results of the Women's 4x400m Relay event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. There were a total number of sixteen nations competing.-Records:...
, with Ute Thimm, Andrea Thomas and Gudrun Abt.
In 1989 came the highlight of Arendt's career as she won the gold medal at the World Indoor Championships
1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 2nd IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Budapest Sportcsarnok in Budapest, Hungary from March 3 to March 5, 1989. There were a total number of 373 participating athletes from 62 countries.-Men:1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993...
. She beat American Diane Dixon
Diane Dixon
Diane Lynn Dixon is an American athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.She competed for the United States in the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea in the 4 x 400 metres where she won the Silver medal with her team mates Denean Howard, Valerie Brisco-Hooks and Florence Griffith...
, who had finished fifth at the Olympics, with a margin of 0.25 seconds. At the 1990 European Championships
1990 European Championships in Athletics
The 15th European Athletics Championships were held from 26 August to 2 September 1990 in Split, a city in Croatia .It was the last participation of East Germany ....
, however, Arendt was again knocked out before the final round of the 400 metres competition
1990 European Championships in Athletics - Women's 400 metres
These are the official results of the Women's 400 metres event at the 1990 European Championships in Split, Yugoslavia.-Final:-Semifinals:-See also:* 1988 Women's Olympic 400 metres * 1991 Women's World Championships 400 metres...
, only reaching the semi-final. She finished fourth in the 4 x 400 metres relay
1990 European Championships in Athletics - Women's 4 x 400 metres relay
These are the official results of the Women's 4x400 metres event at the 1990 European Championships in Split, Yugoslavia.-Final:-See also:* 1988 Women's Olympic 4x400m Relay * 1991 Women's World Championships 4x400m Relay...
with teammates Karin Janke
Karin Janke
Karin Janke is a retired German sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. She represented the sports club VfL Wolfsburg.-Achievements:-References:...
, Andrea Thomas and Silke Knoll.
Arendt represented the sports clubs Pulheimer SC, ASV Köln, SC Eintracht Hamm and LG Olympia Dortmund during her active career. She became West German champion in 1988 and 1989, as well as West German indoor champion in 1987, 1988 and 1989. Her personal best times were 23.13 in the 200 metres, achieved in July 1988 in Frankfurt am Main, and 50.36 in the 400 metres, achieved in the 1988 Olympic semi-final 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...
.
Arendt is 1.78 metres tall; during her active career she weighed 66 kilograms.