Birgit Jerschabek

Birgit Jerschabek-Keipke (born 17 May 1969) is a retired (East) German long-distance runner.

She was born in Ludwigslust.[1] As a junior, she won the 10,000 metrees at the 1987 European Junior Championships and finished sixth at the 1988 World Junior Championships.[2] She finished sixteenth in 10,000 metres at the 1990 European Championships[3] 65th at the 1990 World Cross Country Championships,[2] fifteenth in the 1992 Olympic marathon[1] and eighth at the 1992 World Half Marathon Championships.

She later competed in three consecutive World Championship marathons without finishing any of them: the 1993, 1995 and 1997 World Championships. Also, she only managed a 48th place at the 1998 World Half Marathon Championships.[2]

In the East German championships she won bronze medals in 1987, 1988 and 1989 (10,000 metres) and silver medals in 1989 (3000) and 1990 (3000, 10,000 and cross-country running). The winner in all events was Kathrin Ullrich.[4][5][6] In 1990 she also won a bronze medal (1500 metres) and a silver medal (3000) at the East German indoor championships. She represented the club SC Traktor Schwerin.[7][8] She later became German half marathon champion in 1991, 1993 and 1997 and marathon champion in 1997. She represented LG Sieg and ABC Ludwigshafen during this part of her career.[9][10]

Her personal best times were 32:14.75 minutes in the 10,000 metres, achieved in June 1990 in Helsinki; 1:10:53 hours in the half marathon, achieved at the 1992 World Half Marathon Championships; and 2:28:02 hours in the marathon, achieved at the 1995 Lisbon Marathon.[11][12][13]