Heike Drechsler facts for kids

Drechsler in 1990
Quick facts for kids Personal information
Birth name	Heike Gabriela Daute
Nickname(s)	Heike Spix
Nationality	German
Born	(1964-12-16) 16 December 1964 (age 60) Gera, Bezirk Gera, East Germany
Height	181 cm
Weight	68 kg
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  East Germany Olympic Games Silver 1988 Seoul Long jump Bronze 1988 Seoul 100 m Bronze 1988 Seoul 200 m World Championships Gold 1983 Helsinki Long jump Silver 1987 Rome 100 m Bronze 1987 Rome Long jump World Indoor Championships Gold 1987 Indianapolis 200 m Gold 1987 Indianapolis Long jump European Championships Gold 1986 Stuttgart 200 m Gold 1986 Stuttgart Long jump Gold 1990 Split Long jump Silver 1990 Split 200 m Representing  Germany Olympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona Long jump Gold 2000 Sydney Long jump World Championships Gold 1993 Stuttgart Long jump Silver 1991 Tokyo Long jump Bronze 1991 Tokyo 4 × 100 m relay European Championships Gold 1994 Helsinki Long jump Gold 1998 Budapest Long jump
Updated on 30 June 2015.

Heike Drechsler (born December 16, 1964) is a famous German former track and field athlete. She is known as one of the most successful long jumpers ever. Heike was a world record holder and is still ranked very high for her amazing jumps.

She holds the record for being the only woman to win two Olympic gold medals in the long jump. She achieved these wins in 1992 and 2000. Heike also won Olympic medals in the 100 metres and 200 metres races in 1988. She even held a world record in the 200 metres with a time of 21.71 seconds in 1986.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Heike Drechsler was born in Gera, which was part of East Germany at the time. When she was a teenager, she was already a very strong long jumper. She started competing at a high level very early in her life.

In July 1984, she married Andreas Drechsler and began competing under the name Heike Drechsler. Her father-in-law, Erich Drechsler, was her coach.

Becoming a Sprint Star

In 1986, when Heike was 21, she also became a top-level sprinter. She made huge improvements in her 100-meter and 200-meter race times. For example, her 100-meter time went from 11.75 seconds to 10.91 seconds in just one season. Her 200-meter time improved from 23.19 seconds to 21.71 seconds in the same year. This 21.71-second run equaled the world record at the time.

What makes her 200-meter record even more impressive is that she ran it against a headwind. This means she was running into the wind, which usually slows athletes down.

Heike's Amazing Achievements

Heike Drechsler had a fantastic career filled with many wins. Besides her Olympic gold medals, she also won two World Championships in the long jump. These wins were in 1983 and 1993.

She also won gold medals in both the long jump and the 200-meter sprint at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in 1987. Heike also achieved many successes in European and German championships throughout her career.

Rivalries and Records

Heike Drechsler had a friendly rivalry with another great long jumper, Jackie Joyner-Kersee. They were good friends off the track.

Heike set and equaled several world records during her career. In 1985 and 1986, she set two long jump world records and equaled another. Her best legal long jump was 7.48 meters in 1988. She also had a jump of 7.63 meters in 1992, which was slightly wind-assisted. This jump is still the furthest a woman has ever long jumped.

Personal Best Performances

Heike Drechsler achieved some incredible personal bests in her events:

Long Jump Records

• 1983: 7.14 meters in Bratislava (as a junior)
• 1985: 7.44 meters in East Berlin
• 1986: 7.45 meters in Tallinn
• 1988: 7.48 meters in Neubrandenburg
• 1992: 7.63 meters in Sestriere (this jump had a slight tailwind and was at a high altitude)

200 Metres Records

• 1986: 21.71 seconds in Jena
• 1986: 21.71 seconds in Stuttgart

Heptathlon Records

• 1981: 5,891 points (as a junior)
• 1994: 6,741 points in Talence

Staying at the Top

Heike Drechsler continued to win major titles even after East Germany changed. She competed for the united German team and was regularly tested for performance-enhancing substances. She never failed a drug test during her entire career. This shows her dedication and talent in the sport.

Gallery

See also

In Spanish: Heike Drechsler para niños

• German all-time top lists – 100 metres
• German all-time top lists – 200 metres