Margitta Gummel facts for kids

Margitta Gummel in 1971
Quick facts for kids Personal information
Birth name	Margitta Helmbold
Nationality	East Germany  Germany
Born	(1941-06-29)29 June 1941 Magdeburg, Saxony, Prussia, Germany
Died	26 January 2021(2021-01-26) (aged 79) Wietmarschen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	90 kg (198 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Shot put
Club	SC DHfK, Leipzig
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	20.22 m (1972)
Medal record Representing  East Germany Olympic Games Gold 1968 Mexico City Shot put Silver 1972 Munich Shot put European Championships Silver 1966 Budapest Shot put Silver 1969 Athens Shot put Bronze 1971 Helsenki Shot put European Indoor Championships Gold 1966 Dortmund Shot put Silver 1968 Madrid Shot put Silver 1971 Sofia Shot put

Margitta Gummel (born Margitta Helmbold) was a famous German athlete. She was a shot putter who won Olympic medals. She competed for Germany and later for East Germany in the Olympic Games. Margitta Gummel was known for her strong rivalry with Nadezhda Chizhova from the Soviet Union. She passed away on January 26, 2021.

Margitta Gummel's Athletic Career

Margitta Gummel started her Olympic journey in 1964. She competed in the shot put event at the Tokyo Olympics. She did not win any medals at those games.

Olympic Success

Four years later, Margitta Gummel achieved great success. At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, she won a gold medal in the shot put. She made history by becoming the first woman to throw the shot put over 19 meters.

At the 1972 Munich Olympics, she won a silver medal. Her rival, Nadezhda Chizhova, won the gold medal in that event.

European Championships

Margitta Gummel also competed in many European championships.

European Indoor Championships

She performed well at the European Athletics Indoor Championships. In 1966, at the games in Dortmund, she won a gold medal in shot put.

In 1968, she won a silver medal in Madrid. Her rival, Nadezhda Chizhova, took the gold. In 1971, she again won a silver medal in Sofia, with Chizhova winning gold.

European Athletics Championships

Margitta Gummel also competed in the European Athletics Championships. In 1966, she won a silver medal in Budapest. Nadezhda Chizhova won the gold.

She won another silver medal in 1969 in Athens. Chizhova was again the gold medalist. In 1971, she earned a bronze medal in Helsinki. Her rival, Chizhova, won gold once more.

Later Discoveries

It was later found that some athletes in East Germany, including Margitta Gummel, were given special substances to improve their performance. This happened before the 1968 Olympic Games. Records from that time show a big improvement in her throwing distance. This was due to the substances she was given. This practice was part of a wider program in East German sports.

See also

• Doping in East Germany