Liese Sykora-Prokop

Liese Sykora-Prokop was an all-round track & field athlete and won numerous Austrian titles. She won the 4×100 relay (1964, 1970-1973), 4×400 relay (1971,1973), 100 metres hurdles (1969,1972), high jump (1961-63,1965), long jump (1975), shot put (1969, 1972-76), and pentathlon (1964-66, 1968-69,1973-75).

Sykora-Prokop participated in three Olympic Games. In 1964 she was eliminated in the high jump qualification. At Mexico City in 1968 she won the silver medal in pentathlon, and in 1972 she could not finish the pentathlon due to an injury. In 1969, Sykora-Prokop set a new pentathlon world record, won the European Championships, and was elected Sportswoman of the Year in Austria.

Sykora-Prokop married her coach Gunnar Prokop and became mother of Karin Prokop. Her sister Maria Sykora participated as an athlete in 1972 and as a handball player in 1984. Her nephew Thomas Sykora was an Olympic alpine skier.

Sykora-Prokop later went into politics and was from 1981-2004 a state councillor in the Lower Austrian state government, and from 1992 also deputy state governor. She was responsible for the areas of social affairs, labour market, families, youth, art, culture, and sport. From 2004 until her death in 2006, she was Austria’s Interior minister.

Personal Bests: HJ – 1.75 (1969); Pen – 4727 (1969).