Renate Stecher
Encyclopedia
Renate Stecher (born 15 May 1950 in Süptitz) is a German
(former East German) athlete and a triple Olympic
champion.
Born as Renate Meißner, she was a very talented athlete, also competing in the high jump
and pentathlon
. She debuted internationally at the 1969 European Championships
, where she - as a last minute substitute - won a silver medal in the 200 m and a gold in the 4 x 100 m relay.
At the next European Championships, in 1971
, she won both the 100 m and 200 m and the silver in the relay. At that time, she was already competing as Renate Stecher, having married hurdler
Gerd Stecher the previous year.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics
, Stecher repeated that performance. She won the 100 m in time of 11.07, which was only in 1976 recognised as world record
, which had been measured in tenths of seconds before (the times in tenths were later corrected). The following year, Stecher set world records in both sprint events, also becoming the first woman to beat 11 seconds.
At the 1976 Summer Olympics
, Stecher again competed in the three sprint events, winning medals in all three once again. She was beaten for the 100 m title by Annegret Richter
, and came third in a 200 m race with five German women in the first five positions. With the 4 x 100 m relay team, they beat West Germany
, taking revenge for the race four year earlier.
She competed for the club SC Motor Jena during her active career.
Following the release of East German secret service files, it was revealed that many of the country's athletes were involved with a state-sponsored drug program. The files document that Stecher had wanted to step down her drug use after the 1972 Olympics so that she could safely have children. Raelene Boyle
, who had finished second to Stecher in both the 100 and 200 metres at the Olympics, stated that she felt cheated, but that Stecher may still have bested her over the 100 m without the use of performance-enhancing drugs
.
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...
(former East German) athlete and a triple Olympic
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...
champion.
Born as Renate Meißner, she was a very talented athlete, also competing in the high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
and pentathlon
Women's pentathlon
The pentathlon is a sports contest made up of five events . The women's pentathlon was contested in the Olympics from 1964 until 1980, and it was replaced in the 1984 Games with the heptathlon. It had a different set of events than the ancient Olympic pentathlon...
. She debuted internationally at the 1969 European Championships
1969 European Championships in Athletics
The 9th European Athletics Championships were held from 16 September to 21 September 1969 in the Karaiskaki Stadium of Athens, the capital of Greece. New at these championships were the women's 1,500 metres and the women's 4x400 metres relay event....
, where she - as a last minute substitute - won a silver medal in the 200 m and a gold in the 4 x 100 m relay.
At the next European Championships, in 1971
1971 European Championships in Athletics
The 10th European Athletics Championships were held from 10 August to 15 August 1971 in the Olympic Stadium of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.-Track:1966 |1969 |1971 |1974 |1978-Field:1966 |1969 |1971 |1974 |1978-Track:...
, she won both the 100 m and 200 m and the silver in the relay. At that time, she was already competing as Renate Stecher, having married hurdler
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
Gerd Stecher the previous year.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, Stecher repeated that performance. She won the 100 m in time of 11.07, which was only in 1976 recognised as world record
World records in athletics
World records in the sport of athletics are ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations. Athletics records comprise the best performances in the sports of track and field, road running and racewalking....
, which had been measured in tenths of seconds before (the times in tenths were later corrected). The following year, Stecher set world records in both sprint events, also becoming the first woman to beat 11 seconds.
At the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, Stecher again competed in the three sprint events, winning medals in all three once again. She was beaten for the 100 m title by Annegret Richter
Annegret Richter
Annegret Richter is a German athlete and the 1976 Olympic 100 m champion....
, and came third in a 200 m race with five German women in the first five positions. With the 4 x 100 m relay team, they beat West Germany
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....
, taking revenge for the race four year earlier.
She competed for the club SC Motor Jena during her active career.
Following the release of East German secret service files, it was revealed that many of the country's athletes were involved with a state-sponsored drug program. The files document that Stecher had wanted to step down her drug use after the 1972 Olympics so that she could safely have children. Raelene Boyle
Raelene Boyle
Raelene Ann Boyle, AM, MBE, , Australian athlete, represented Australia at three Olympic Games as a sprinter, winning three silver medals. In 1998, Boyle was named one of 100 National Living Treasures by the National Trust of Australia.-Early life:Boyle was born on 24 June 1951, the daughter of...
, who had finished second to Stecher in both the 100 and 200 metres at the Olympics, stated that she felt cheated, but that Stecher may still have bested her over the 100 m without the use of performance-enhancing drugs
Performance-enhancing drugs
Performance-enhancing drugs are substances used by athletes to improve their performances in the sports in which they engage.- Types of performance-enhancing drugs :...
.