Astrid Kumbernuss

German Astrid Kumbernuss was a world-class shot putter during the 1990s and 2000s. She won the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games and bronze medal four years later at Sydney, but in 2004 failed to reach the final. Kumbernuss was also three-time World Champion in 1995, 1997, and 1999. At European Championships she won the gold medal in 1990 and silver in 1994.

At the Indoor Worlds, Kumbernuss won silver in 1997 and bronze in 2003, and at the European Indoors won gold in 1994 and 1996, and bronze in 1992 and 2000. She won the national title six times from 1995-97, 1999-2000, and 2004, and the indoor title in 1992, 1994, 1996, 2002, and 2003. She also won several European Cups and overall Grand Prix titles.

In 1997 Kumbernuss was elected Sportswoman of the Year in Germany and Women’s European Athlete of the Year. As of 2022 she was the only German woman to win that honour. In 1998, she gave birth to her son and, from her retirement in 2005, worked as a retail clerk with a German health insurance company. She later became managing director of sport marketing at her home club SC Neubrandenburg.

Personal Best: SP – 21.22 (1995).