Kornelia Ender facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kornelia Ender

Ender during the European Cup in August 1973
Personal information
Nationality	German
Born	(1958-10-25) 25 October 1958 (age 66) Plauen, East Germany (now Saxony, Germany)
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	59 kilograms (130 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, butterfly, medley
Club	SV Halle
Medal record Women's swimming Representing  East Germany Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 4 4 0 World Championships (LC) 8 2 0 European Championships (LC) 4 0 0 Total 16 6 0 Olympic Games Gold 1976 Montreal 100 m freestyle Gold 1976 Montreal 200 m freestyle Gold 1976 Montreal 100 m butterfly Gold 1976 Montreal 4×100 m medley Silver 1972 Munich 200 m individual medley Silver 1972 Munich 4×100 m freestyle Silver 1972 Munich 4×100 m medley Silver 1976 Montreal 4×100 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 1973 Belgrade 100 m freestyle Gold 1973 Belgrade 100 m butterfly Gold 1973 Belgrade 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1973 Belgrade 4×100 m medley Gold 1975 Cali 100 m freestyle Gold 1975 Cali 100 m butterfly Gold 1975 Cali 4x100 m freestyle Gold 1975 Cali 4x100 m medley Silver 1973 Belgrade 200 m medley Silver 1975 Cali 200 m freestyle European Championships (LC) Gold 1974 Vienna 100 m freestyle Gold 1974 Vienna 200 m freestyle Gold 1974 Vienna 4×100 m freestyle Gold 1974 Vienna 4×100 m medley

Kornelia Ender (born October 25, 1958) is a famous former swimmer from East Germany. She made history at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. She was the first woman swimmer to win four gold medals at a single Olympic Games. What's even more amazing is that she set new world records in all four of those races!

Early Swimming Career

Kornelia started training as a swimmer when she was very young. Her talent was clear from the start. She competed in her first Olympic Games when she was only 13 years old. This was at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.

Olympic Debut in Munich

Even as a young teenager, Kornelia won three silver medals in Munich. One of these was in the 200-meter individual medley. She finished right behind Australia's amazing swimmer, Shane Gould. These early medals showed the world that Kornelia Ender was a rising star in swimming.

Breaking World Records

After the 1972 Olympics, Kornelia continued to train hard. Over the next few years, she broke many world records. She set 32 new world records in individual swimming events. This incredible achievement showed her dedication and skill.

Montreal Olympics Success

Kornelia Ender's biggest moment came at the 1976 Montreal Games. She dominated the swimming pool, winning four gold medals. Each of these wins was a new world record. This made her a legend in the sport.

Questions About Fair Play

Later on, it became known that some athletes from East Germany, including swimmers, were given special substances. This was part of a secret program by the government and their sports doctors. Many athletes, like Kornelia, did not know what they were taking. This situation led to questions about the fairness of some of the amazing results achieved during that time. It was a complex issue where athletes were often unaware of the full situation.

Life After Swimming

Kornelia Ender stopped competing in 1977. She was married for four years to another famous East German swimmer, Roland Matthes. He was also an Olympic champion. Later, she married Steffen Grummt, who was a track and field athlete and bobsledder.

See also

• List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of multiple Summer Olympic medalists