Birgit Fischer

Birgit Fischer (born 25 February 1962) is a former German kayaker, who has won eight gold medals over six different Olympic Games, a record she shares with Aladár Gerevich, spanning seven Olympiads: twice representing East Germany (interrupted by the boycott of 1984), then four times representing the reunited nation. After both the 1988 and 2000 games, she announced her retirement, only to return for the subsequent games. She has been both the youngest- and oldest-ever Olympic canoeing champion (ages 18 and 42). In 2004, she was chosen as the German sportswoman of the year.

Birgit Fischer

Birgit Fischer (left) with Freya Hoffmeister, 2010
Personal information
Birth name	Birgit Fischer
Nationality	German
Born	(1962-02-25) 25 February 1962 Brandenburg an der Havel, East Germany
Height	172 cm (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Weight	69 kg (152 lb)[1]
Sport
Sport	canoe racing
Medal record Women's canoe sprint Olympic Games Representing  East Germany 1980 Moscow K-1 500 m 1988 Seoul K-2 500 m 1988 Seoul K-4 500 m 1988 Seoul K-1 500 m Representing  Germany 1992 Barcelona K-1 500 m 1996 Atlanta K-4 500 m 2000 Sydney K-2 500 m 2000 Sydney K-4 500 m 2004 Athens K-4 500 m 1992 Barcelona K-4 500 m 1996 Atlanta K-2 500 m 2004 Athens K-2 500 m World Championships Representing  East Germany 1978 Belgrade K-4 500 m 1979 Duisburg K-4 500 m 1981 Nottingham K-1 500 m 1981 Nottingham K-2 500 m 1981 Nottingham K-4 500 m 1982 Belgrade K-1 500 m 1982 Belgrade K-2 500 m 1982 Belgrade K-4 500 m 1983 Tampere K-1 500 m 1983 Tampere K-2 500 m 1983 Tampere K-4 500 m 1985 Mechelen K-1 500 m 1985 Mechelen K-2 500 m 1985 Mechelen K-4 500 m 1987 Duisburg K-1 500 m 1987 Duisburg K-2 500 m 1987 Duisburg K-4 500 m Representing  Germany 1993 Copenhagen K-1 500 m 1993 Copenhagen K-4 500 m 1994 Mexico City K-1 500 m 1994 Mexico City K-4 500 m 1995 Duisburg K-4 500 m 1997 Dartmouth K-2 200 m 1997 Dartmouth K-2 500 m 1997 Dartmouth K-2 1000 m 1997 Dartmouth K-4 200 m 1997 Dartmouth K-4 500 m 1998 Szeged K-4 500 m 1994 Mexico City K-2 200 m 1994 Mexico City K-4 200 m 1995 Duisburg K-4 200 m 1998 Szeged K-2 500 m 1998 Szeged K-2 1000 m 1999 Milan K-4 500 m 1993 Copenhagen K-1 5000 m 1994 Mexico City K-2 500 m 2005 Zagreb K-2 200 m 2005 Zagreb K-4 1000 m

Fischer was born in Brandenburg an der Havel, then in East Germany.[1] She attended an ASK (army sports club) boarding school in Potsdam, and worked as a sports instructor in the National People's Army, attaining a rank of major by the time of German reunification in 1990. She was married from 1984 to 1993 to canoeist Jörg Schmidt, silver medalist in the C-1 1000 m event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. She lives with their two children in Brandenburg. In 1999 she stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for the FDP in the European Parliament election. Fischer's niece, Fanny, competed for Germany at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, winning a gold in the K-4 500 m event. Fischer's brother Frank won nine world championship medals between 1981 and 1986.

She also won 38 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships medals between 1978 and 2005, including 28 golds. Fischer's career medal count was surpassed by Hungary's Katalin Kovács at the 2011 championships in Szeged.

Fischer is also a photographer and displays works through the Art of the Olympians.[2]