Cornelia Sirch
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Cornelia•Sirch (Embacher-) |
| Used name | Cornelia•Sirch |
| Born | 23 October 1966 in Jena, Thüringen (GER) |
| Measurements | 176 cm / 70 kg |
| Affiliations | SC Turbine Erfurt, Erfurt (GER) |
| NOC |  East Germany |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 1 |
| Silver | 0 |
| Bronze | 2 |
| Total | 3 |
Biography
Backstroke and medley swimmer Cornelia Sirch had her greatest moments at three European Championships, winning six gold and two silver medals between 1983-87. In 1982 and 1986 she also won the 200 backstroke at the World Championships, setting a world record in 1982. She finished her career with one gold, in the medley relay, and two bronze medals in backstroke events at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Sirch was named European Swimmer of the Year in 1982.
Sirch trained with coach Wolfgang Fricke in Erfurt, and suffered serious health problems, which she attributed to years of systematic doping enforced on her by the GDR state system. After her active career, Sirch initially worked as a men’s tailor, was later head of a driving school and, from 1994, was a swimming coach in the youth sector. Since 2004 she has been employed by Stadtwerke Erfurt Bäder GmbH and held beginners and advanced swimming courses at the Regional Olympic Center Erfurt.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GDR |
Cornelia Sirch | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 200 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | East Germany | 1 | Gold |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (200 m backstroke – 7 August 1982 - 25 September 1988: 2:09.91 (7 August 1982; Guayaquil, ECU), 2:09.91 tied (24 July 1988; Potsdam, GDR); 4×200 m freestyle relay – 22 August 1983 - 17 August 1986: 8:02.27 (22 August 1983; Roma, ITA))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Short Course Swimming (200 m backstroke – 1983 - 26 March 1994: 2:07.74 (1983; , ))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (200 m backstroke – 8 August 1982 - 27 June 1986: 2:09.91 (8 August 1982; Guayaquil, ECU); 4×200 m freestyle relay – 22 August 1983 - 17 August 1986: 8:02.27 (22 August 1983; Roma, ITA))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (6–2–0 1983 Roma SWM gold: 200 m backstroke, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×200 m freestyle relay, silver: 100 m backstroke; 1985 Sofia SWM gold: 200 m backstroke, silver: 400 m medley; 1987 Strasbourg SWM gold: 200 m backstroke and 200 m medley)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (2–0–0 1982 Guayaquil SWI gold: 200 m backstroke; 1986 Madrid SWI gold: 200 m backstroke)