Andrea Pollack
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Andrea•Pollack (-Pinske) |
| Used name | Andrea•Pollack |
| Born | 8 May 1961 in Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (GER) |
| Died | 11 March 2019 in Berlin, Berlin (GER) |
| Measurements | 166 cm / 61 kg |
| Affiliations | SC Dynamo Berlin, Ost-Berlin (GER) |
| NOC |  East Germany |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 3 |
| Silver | 3 |
| Bronze | 0 |
| Total | 6 |
Biography
Andrea Pollack was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1987. Winning three gold and three silver medals at the Olympic Games of 1976 and 1980, she was one of the most successful East German female freestyle and butterfly swimmers ever. Her medal collection was completed by two silvers and one bronze at the 1978 World Championships and two golds and one silver at the 1977 European Championships.
Pollack was married to a cyclist and became the mother of Olympic judoka Michael Pinske. In 1976 she was the first woman to swim the 100 fly under one minute. She confessed openly in 1998 to have been doped systematically by GDR sports officials and coaches. This sparked a discussion by US swimmers and officials to award the gold medal in the 1976 medley relay to the United States. The IOC refused to do so, however, establishing the statute of limitations for doping offenses at eight years.
Pollack later worked as a physiotherapist at the Regional Olympic Center in Berlin. In 2019, she died after a long battle against cancer at the age of only 57 years, which might have been a consequence of the systematical doping in former GDR.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GDR |
Andrea Pollack | |||
| 200 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 17 | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | East Germany | 2 | Silver | |||
| 100 metres Butterfly, Women (Olympic) | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 200 metres Butterfly, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | East Germany | 1 | Gold | |||
| 1980 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GDR |
Andrea Pollack | |||
| 100 metres Butterfly, Women (Olympic) | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 200 metres Butterfly, Women (Olympic) | 4 | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | East Germany | 1 | Gold |
Olympic family relations
- Mother of Michael Pinske
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m butterfly – 3 July 1978 - 23 August 1984: 59.46 (3 July 1978; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 200 m butterfly – 9 April 1978 - 1 July 1981: 2:11.20 (9 April 1978; Leningrad, URS), 2:09.87 (4 July 1978; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 4×100 m freestyle relay – 4 April 1968 - 13 July 1968, 26 October 1968 - 24 June 1969, and 2 June 1976 - 27 July 1980: 4:09.4 (4 April 1968; Tallinn, URS), 4:05.7 (26 October 1968; Ciudad de México, MEX), 3:48.80 (2 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 3:45.50 (25 July 1976; Montréal, CAN); 4×100 m medley relay – 5 June 1976 - 7 August 1982: 4:13.41 (5 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 4:07.95 (18 July 1976; Montréal, CAN), 4:06.67 (20 July 1980; Moskva, URS))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m butterfly – 3 July 1978 - 11 April 1980: 59.46 (3 July 1978; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 200 m butterfly – 9 April 1978 - 7 July 1979: 2:11.20 (9 April 1978; Leningrad, URS), 2:09.87 (4 July 1978; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 4×100 m freestyle relay – 2 June 1976 - 25 July 1976: 3:48.80 (2 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 4×100 m medley relay – 5 June 1976 - 6 August 1982: 4:13.41 (5 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 4:07.95 (18 July 1976; Montréal, CAN), 4:06.67 (20 July 1980; Moskva, URS))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (2–1–0 1977 Jönköping SWM gold: 100 m butterfly and 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 200 m butterfly)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (0–2–1 1978 West Berlin SWI silver: 100 m butterfly and silver: 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 200 m butterfly)