Gisela Birkemeyer
Gisela Birkemeyer (née Köhler, 22 December 1931 – 26 March 2024) was a German hurdler and sprinter who won two medals in the 80 m hurdles at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. During her career she set nine world records in the 80 m hurdles and in the 4×100 m, 4×110 yd and 4×200 m relays. She won 40 East German championships, mostly in the 80 m hurdles (1953–1961) and 200 m sprint (1956–1960). At the European Championships in Stockholm in 1958, she was third in the 80 m hurdles. In 1959, she was voted GDR Sportswoman of the Year.
Gisela Birkemeyer in 1960 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Birth name | Gisela Köhler | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | German | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 22 December 1931 Fasendorf, Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 26 March 2024 (aged 92) Berlin, Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 60 kg (132 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Sprint running, hurdles | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | SC Dynamo Berlin | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Earlier in 1957 she married Heinz Birkemeyer and from 1960 competed under his name. After retiring from competitions she worked as a coach. Birkemeyer later lived as a pensioner in Berlin Marzahn. She died in Berlin on 26 March 2024, at the age of 92.