Ute Geweniger
Encyclopedia
Ute Geweniger (born 24 February 1964 in Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany) was a breaststroke
and medley swimmer
of the 1980s who was a leading member of the East German swimming team. She won two Olympic
gold medal
s, in the 100 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay at the 1980 Summer Olympics
in Moscow
, and set seven individual and two relay world record
s. She was named by Swimming World Magazine
as World Swimmer of the Year
in 1983 and as the European Swimmer of the Year
in 1981 and 1983. In 2005, she admitted that her performance had been supported by doping
.
Geweniger came to prominence when she set a world record in the 100 m breaststroke in qualifying for the East German team for the 1980 Summer Olympics
in Moscow
. There she captured gold, setting another world record in the process. She then combined with Rica Reinisch
, Andrea Pollack
and Caren Metschuck
to claim gold in the medley relay, also in world record time. In 1981, she broke the 100 m breaststroke world record thrice, and the 200 m individual medley world record, prior to the European Championships in Split
, Yugoslavia
(now Croatia
). There she claimed gold in the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke (breaking a world record in the former), 200 m individual medley, medley relay, as well as a silver in the 400 m individual medley behind team-mate Petra Schneider
. At the World Championships the following year in Guayaquil
, Ecuador
, she won gold in both the 100 m breaststroke and the medley relay, combining with Ines Geißler
, Birgit Meineke
and Kristin Otto
to again lower the world record. At the 1983 European Championships in Rome
, Italy
, she again won the breaststroke double, the 200 m individual medley and the 4×100 m medley relay, setting a world record in the 100 m breaststroke. Geweniger was tipped for further Olympic success, but her career was ended when the Soviet bloc, including East Germany, staged a retaliatory boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics
held in Los Angeles
.
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
and medley swimmer
Medley swimming
Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...
of the 1980s who was a leading member of the East German swimming team. She won two 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...
gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s, in the 100 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, and set seven individual and two relay world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
s. She was named by Swimming World Magazine
Swimming World magazine
Swimming World Magazine is an American-based monthly swimming magazine, that was first published in a magazine format as Junior Swimmer in January of 1960...
as World Swimmer of the Year
Swimming World Swimmers of the Year
The Swimming World Magazine Swimmers of the Year, awarded by the American-based Swimming World Magazine, are a set of awards which are often regarded as being the most prestigious in the sport of swimming...
in 1983 and as the European Swimmer of the Year
Swimming World Swimmers of the Year
The Swimming World Magazine Swimmers of the Year, awarded by the American-based Swimming World Magazine, are a set of awards which are often regarded as being the most prestigious in the sport of swimming...
in 1981 and 1983. In 2005, she admitted that her performance had been supported by doping
Doping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
.
Geweniger came to prominence when she set a world record in the 100 m breaststroke in qualifying for the East German team for the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. There she captured gold, setting another world record in the process. She then combined with Rica Reinisch
Rica Reinisch
Rica Reinisch is a retired swimmer from East Germany. She is 5'9" tall and weighs 132 lbs., and is a specialist in backstroke, setting four world records in the Moscow Games , at the age of fifteen...
, Andrea Pollack
Andrea Pollack
Andrea Pollack is a former butterfly swimmer from East Germany, who won two gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada at age fifteen. She won individual 200 m butterfly and with the women's relay team in the 4×100 m medley...
and Caren Metschuck
Caren Metschuck
Caren Metschuck is a German former swimmer and a multiple Olympic gold medalist.-Career:With the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Metschuck won Olympic gold in the 100 m butterfly. She also won gold in the 4×100 m freestyle relay team and the 4×100 m backstroke relay...
to claim gold in the medley relay, also in world record time. In 1981, she broke the 100 m breaststroke world record thrice, and the 200 m individual medley world record, prior to the European Championships in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(now Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
). There she claimed gold in the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke (breaking a world record in the former), 200 m individual medley, medley relay, as well as a silver in the 400 m individual medley behind team-mate Petra Schneider
Petra Schneider
Petra Schneider is a former medley and freestyle swimmer from East Germany in the 1970s and 1980s....
. At the World Championships the following year in Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, she won gold in both the 100 m breaststroke and the medley relay, combining with Ines Geißler
Ines Geißler
Ines Geißler is a former butterfly swimmer from East Germany, who won the gold medal in the 200 m butterfly at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union.-References:*...
, Birgit Meineke
Birgit Meineke
Birgit Meineke was an East German swimmer. She was the fastest female swimmer in the 100 m freestyle between 1980 and 1984.-Career:...
and Kristin Otto
Kristin Otto
Kristin Otto is a German Olympic swimming champion. She is most famous for being the first woman to win six gold medals, doing so at the 1988 Seoul Olympic games...
to again lower the world record. At the 1983 European Championships in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, she again won the breaststroke double, the 200 m individual medley and the 4×100 m medley relay, setting a world record in the 100 m breaststroke. Geweniger was tipped for further Olympic success, but her career was ended when the Soviet bloc, including East Germany, staged a retaliatory boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
held in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.