Kornelia Ender

Biographical information

Roles	Competed in Olympic Games
Sex	Female
Full name	Kornelia•Ender (-Matthes-, -Grummt)
Used name	Kornelia•Ender
Nick/petnames	Konni
Born	25 October 1958 in Plauen im Vogtland, Sachsen (GER)
Measurements	172 cm / 59 kg
Affiliations	SV Halle, Halle (Saale) (GER)
NOC	East Germany

Medals	OG
Gold	4
Silver	4
Bronze	0
Total	8

Biography

East Germany’s Kornelia Ender was one of the first female swimmers to have won eight Olympic medals, a record later bettered by Jenny Thompson, and several others. Ender’s first Olympic medals came in 1972 when the 13-year-old finished second in the 200 metre individual medley, and helped the German Democratic Republic win silver medals in both relays. Ender won four gold medals in 1976 in the 100 metres and 200 metres freestyle, the 100 metres butterfly and the 400 metre medley relay, and added her eighth medal, a silver, in an upset loss to the Americans in the 4x100 freestyle relay.

The most prolific female record breaker of modern times, Ender set 23 individual world records (1973-76) in currently recognized events, including 10 at 100 metre freestyle, four at 200 metre freestyle, six at the 100 metre butterfly, two in the 200 metre individual medley, and one in the 100 metre backstroke. Ender won 10 medals (eight gold, two silver) at the World Championships, which was also a record at the time. In both 1973 and 1975 she won four gold medals at the World Championships, and in 1974, she added four gold medals at the Wien (Vienna) European Championships.

Kornelia Ender was named German Sportswoman of the Year from 1973-76, and was chosen European Sportswoman of the Year in 1973 and 1975. She married teammate Roland Matthes, a four-time Olympic backstroke champion, but they divorced, and she then married Olympic decathlete and bobsledder Steffen Grummt. Ender became a physiotherapist and moved to Mainz after re-unification, where she founded her own practice. In 1981 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Her daughter Tiffany also became a high-performance swimmer, but never reached world class swimming.

After the re-unification of Germany, former East German officials admitted to administering doping to nearly all their swimmers, including Ender. Unlike many other former East German top swimmers, she admitted to having been doped in her numerous records and victories. She stressed, however, that she had received the anabolic steroids from her coaches without her knowledge. In 1977 she refused to take Turinabol, whereupon she was banned from the national team.

Results

Games	Discipline (Sport) / Event	NOC / Team	Pos	Medal	As
1972 Summer Olympics	Swimming (Aquatics)	GDR			Kornelia Ender
	4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic)	East Germany	2	Silver
	200 metres Individual Medley, Women (Olympic)		2	Silver
	4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic)	East Germany	2	Silver
1976 Summer Olympics	Swimming (Aquatics)	GDR			Kornelia Ender
	100 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic)		1	Gold
	200 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic)		1	Gold
	4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic)	East Germany	2	Silver
	100 metres Butterfly, Women (Olympic)		1	Gold
	4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic)	East Germany	1	Gold

Olympic family relations

Wife (divorced) of Roland Matthes
Wife of Steffen Grummt

Special Notes

Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m freestyle – 28 May 1973 - 5 July 1978: 58.60 (28 May 1973; Halle, GDR), 58.60 tied (22 June 1973; Santa Clara, USA), 58.25 (13 July 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 58.12 (18 August 1973; Utrecht, NED), 57.61 (8 September 1973; Beograd, YUG), 57.54 (9 September 1973; Beograd, YUG), 57.51 (4 July 1974; Rostock, GDR), 56.96 (19 August 1974; Wien, AUT), 56.38 (14 March 1975; Dresden, GDR), 56.22 (27 July 1975; Cali, COL), 55.73 (1 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 55.65 (19 July 1976; Montréal, CAN); 200 m freestyle – 12 July 1973 - 5 September 1973 and 22 August 1974 - 2 July 1978: 2:05.70 (12 July 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 2:05.64 (19 August 1973; Utrecht, NED), 2:03.22 (22 August 1974; Wien, AUT), 2:02.27 (15 March 1975; Dresden, GDR), 1:59.78 (2 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 1:59.26 (22 July 1976; Montréal, CAN); 100 m backstroke – 3 June 1976 - 5 June 1976: 1:01.62 (3 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 100 m butterfly – 14 April 1973 - 21 August 1974 and 9 June 1975 - 28 August 1977: 1:03.05 (14 April 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 1:02.31 (14 July 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 1:01.33 (9 June 1975; Wittenberg, GDR), 1:01.24 (24 July 1975; Cali, COL), 1:00.13 (4 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 1:00.13 tied (22 July 1976; Montréal, CAN); 200 m medley – 28 August 1972 - 4 September 1973 and 5 June 1976 - 10 July 1977: 2:25.39 (28 August 1972; München, FRG), 2:23.59 (28 August 1972; München, FRG), 2:23.01 (13 April 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 2:17.14 (5 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 4×100 m freestyle relay – 30 August 1972 - 2 June 1976 and 25 July 1976 - 27 July 1980: 3:58.11 (30 August 1972; München, FRG), 3:55.55 (30 August 1972; München, FRG), 3:52.45 (8 September 1973; Beograd, YUG), 3:52.23 (14 March 1975; Dresden, GDR), 3:49.37 (27 July 1975; Cali, COL), 3:45.50 (25 July 1976; Montréal, CAN); 4×100 m medley relay – 3 September 1972 - 5 June 1976 and 18 July 1976 - 20 July 1980: 4:24.91 (3 September 1972; München, FRG), 4:16.84 (4 September 1973; Beograd, YUG), 4:13.78 (24 August 1974; Wien, AUT), 4:07.95 (18 July 1976; Montréal, CAN))
Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m freestyle – 13 July 1973 - 5 July 1978: 58.25 (13 July 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 58.12 (18 August 1973; Utrecht, NED), 57.61 (8 September 1973; Beograd, YUG), 57.54 (9 September 1973; Beograd, YUG), 57.51 (4 July 1974; Rostock, GDR), 56.96 (19 August 1974; Wien, AUT), 56.38 (14 March 1975; Dresden, GDR), 56.22 (26 July 1975; Cali, COL), 55.73 (1 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 55.65 (19 July 1976; Montréal, CAN); 200 m freestyle – 22 August 1974 - 23 August 1974 and 15 March 1975 - 2 July 1978: 2:03.22 (22 August 1974; Wien, AUT), 2:02.27 (15 March 1975; Dresden, GDR), 1:59.78 (2 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 1:59.26 (22 July 1976; Montréal, CAN); 100 m backstroke – 3 June 1976 - 5 June 1976: 1:01.62 (3 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 100 m butterfly – 14 April 1973 - 21 August 1974 and 9 June 1975 - 28 August 1977: 1:03.05 (14 April 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 1:02.31 (14 July 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 1:01.33 (9 June 1975; Wittenberg, GDR), 1:01.24 (24 July 1975; Cali, COL), 1:00.13 (4 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 1:00.13 tied (22 July 1976; Montréal, CAN); 200 m medley – 13 April 1973 - 4 September 1973 and 5 June 1976 - 10 July 1977: 2:23.01 (13 April 1973; Ost-Berlin, GDR), 2:17.14 (5 June 1976; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 4×100 m freestyle relay – 30 August 1972 - 30 August 1972, 8 September 1973 - 31 August 1974, and 26 July 1975 - 2 June 1976: 3:58.11 tied (30 August 1972; München, FRG), 3:52.45 (8 September 1973; Beograd, YUG), 3:49.37 (26 July 1975; Cali, COL); 4×100 m medley relay – 4 September 1973 - 24 August 1974 and 5 June 1976 - 20 July 1980: 4:16.84 (4 September 1973; Beograd, YUG), 4:13.78 (24 August 1974; Wien, AUT), 4:07.95 (18 July 1976; Montréal, CAN))
Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (4–0–0 1974 Wien SWM gold: 100 m freestyle, 200 m freestyle, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay)
Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (8–2–0 1973 Belgrade SWI gold: 100 m freestyle, 100 m butterfly, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 200 m medley; 1975 Cali SWI gold: 100 m freestyle, 100 m butterfly, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 200 m freestyle)
Listed in Olympic Swimmers - Doubles Champions, Same Year (1976 100/200 Freestyle Champion.)
Listed in Olympians Who Were Elected East German Athlete of the Year (1973, 1974, 1975, 1976)