Rosemarie Ackermann

As Rosemarie Witschas, she represented East Germany in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, finishing seventh behind Ulrike Meyfarth.

In 1974, at the European Championships in Rome, she won her first international title, setting a new world record of 1.95m. Later that year, she married handball player Manfred Ackermann, and assumed his surname. Two years later, when she won the gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Canada.[1]

Ackermann competing at the Hochsprung mit Musik meeting, which she won in 1980.

In 1978, she lost her European title to her only real rival, Italian jumper Sara Simeoni.[1] They both cleared the world-record height of 2.01 metres, but Ackermann's early celebrations caused the bar to fall, relegating her to second place. Ackermann retired from athletics after the 1980 Olympics, at which she placed fourth, just outside the medals.

Ackermann is the last female high jumper to set a world record using the straddle technique. She is also the last high jumper of either gender to win an Olympic gold medal in the high jump with that technique.

Competing for the sports club SC Cottbus,[2][3] Ackerman was East German high jump champion in 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979 and 1980, and also won bronze medals in 1969 and 1972. She was the East German indoor champion in 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1980.

• Female two metres club

• Rosie Witschas-Ackermann at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)

Records
Preceded by Yordanka Blagoeva	Women's High Jump World Record Holder 24 August 1972 – 4 August 1978	Succeeded by Sara Simeoni
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Nadia Comăneci	United Press International Athlete of the Year 1977	Succeeded by Tracy Caulkins
Preceded by Kornelia Ender	East German Sportswoman of the Year 1977	Succeeded by Marita Koch
Preceded by Tatyana Kazankina	Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 1977	Succeeded by Marita Koch
Sporting positions
Preceded by Unknown	Women's High Jump Best Year Performance 1977	Succeeded by Sara Simeoni
Preceded by Sara Simeoni	Women's High Jump Best Year Performance 1979	Succeeded by Sara Simeoni