Ilke Wyludda

Three-time Olympian Ilke Wyludda was a discus thrower who won the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Four years earlier in Barcelona she came in ninth and four years later in Sydney she was seventh. She also participated in four World Championships – 1987 (fourth), 1991 (silver medal), 1993 (eleventh), and 1995 (silver medal). Wyludda won the World Cup in 1989 and 1994, and was second in 1992. In 1990 and 1994 she was European Champion, placing sixth in 1998. She won the European Cup in 1989, 1991, 1994, and 1996, and came in second in 1995 and 2000. In her youth she had already won five golds and one silver at World Youth and European Youth Championships.

Wyludda set one shot put world record in 1988 (20.23) and 11 (!!) discus world records, with her best of 74.40 set in 1988. In East Germany she won the discus title in 1989-90, and in reunified Germany she won titles in 1991-92, and 1994-96.

Wyludda retired from competition on 26 June 2001 after countless operations and on the recommendation of her doctors. Due to a bacterial infection in her right leg, she underwent an above knee amputation in 2010. She then started another career in Paralympic sports and entered the 2012 Paralympics in London, where she reached the finals in shot put and discus throw, and also started at the Worlds and Europeans.

After her sporting career, Wyludda became a physiotherapist. She later studied medicine and then worked as an anesthesiologist.

Personal Best: DT – 74.56 (1989).