Marita Koch, German legend of world athletics!
East Germany has been a school in Athletics. One of the greatest athletes who has dominated the world track and field, and sprint competitions has been Marita Koch – Meier.
Born on February 18, 1957, in Wismar, Mecklenburg-Vorpommem, Germany. From a physical height, 171 cm, and weighs around 62 kg, she represented the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and was one of the most prominent figures in Athletics in the 80s! 16 world records in sprints.
Her time of 47.60 in the 400M remained the world record until 2009.
Koch was chosen as the “East German Sportswoman of the Year” in 1978-79, 1982-83 and 1985!
Koch was the Track & Field News’ Athlete of the Year.
In 1980, she won a gold medal in the 400 m and a silver in the 4×400 relay.
In 1983, at the 1st World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, she was the most successful athlete, with three gold medals and one silver.
She is been one of the favorites in 1976 in the Games of Montreale, but was forced to withdraw from her semifinal heat because of injury. In 1979 she became the first women to break 22 seconds for 200 meters as well as the first women to beat 49 seconds for 400 meters.
In Olympics of Moscow, (1980), using the same spikes she had used for years earlier in Montreal, Koch won a clear victory over Jalmira Kratochvilova (CZE) and Christine Lathan-Brener (GDR) in 400 meters, both of whom recorded personal bests. The race was the first in history to which three women broke the 50-seconds barrier.
Koch did not achieve further success at the 1984 Olympic Games after the boycott of her home country’s participation in Los Angeles, USA!
In 1979, she became the first woman to run the 200 meters under 22 seconds, setting a world record of 21.71 in Karl-Marx-Stadt (Chemnitz), a mark that stood until 1988 when American FloJo broke that record.
However, her achievements, along with the successes of other East German athletes, have often been questioned due to the use of anabolic steroids, steroids or other banned substances.
But the fact is that Marita Koch never tested positive in many different tests and always proved that she never used them.
She is married to her coach Wolfgang Meier.
Her best results:
100M – 10.83 (1983); 200M – 21.71 (1979); 400M – 47.60 (1985).
By Pjerin Bj New York
March 10, 2025
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