Angela Voigt facts for kids
Voigt in 1976
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Birth name | Angela Schmalfeld | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | East German | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 May 1951 Weferlingen, Bezirk Magdeburg |
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| Died | 11 April 2013 (aged 61) Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt |
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| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 63 kg (139 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Long jump | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | SC Magdeburg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Angela Voigt, born Schmalfeld (May 18, 1951 – April 11, 2013), was an amazing long jumper from East Germany. She became famous for winning a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
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Angela Voigt's Early Life and Career
Angela Voigt was born in Weferlingen, a town in what was then East Germany, on May 18, 1951. When she first started in sports, she was a pentathlete. This means she competed in five different track and field events.
She did very well in pentathlon, finishing third in 1972 and second in 1973 at the East German championships. However, due to some injuries, Angela decided to focus only on the long jump.
Becoming a Top Long Jumper
Angela quickly became a top long jumper. In 1974, she competed at the European Championships and finished in fourth place. This showed she was one of the best long jumpers around.
On May 9, 1976, Angela Voigt made history in Dresden. She set a new world record in the long jump, leaping an incredible 6.92 meters! This was a huge achievement. However, her record was broken just ten days later by another athlete named Siegrun Siegl.
Olympic Gold Medalist
The 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, was a very important event for Angela. Even though her world record had just been broken, she was determined to do her best.
In the long jump competition, Angela Voigt jumped 6.72 meters. This amazing jump won her the gold medal! It was a very exciting moment. Another athlete, Kathy McMillan, had a longer jump, but it was ruled a foul, so it didn't count. Siegrun Siegl, who had broken Angela's world record, finished fourth in the same event.
Later Career and Retirement
After her Olympic win, Angela continued to compete. In 1978, she won a silver medal at the European Championships. This was especially impressive because she had given birth to her son the year before.
Her best jump ever remained 6.92 meters, the world record she had briefly held. Throughout her career, Angela Voigt competed for the sports club SC Magdeburg. She decided to retire from professional sports in 1982.
Angela Voigt passed away on April 11, 2013, after a short illness. She is remembered as an Olympic champion and a true legend in the sport of long jump.
