Kristin Otto
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Kristin•Otto |
| Used name | Kristin•Otto |
| Born | 7 February 1966 in Leipzig, Sachsen (GER) |
| Measurements | 185 cm / 70 kg |
| Affiliations | SC DHfK, Leipzig (GER) |
| NOC |  East Germany |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 6 |
| Silver | 0 |
| Bronze | 0 |
| Total | 6 |
Biography
Kristin Otto, of the German Democratic Republic, won six gold medals at one Olympic Games (1988) to set a women’s record for any sport at the Olympics. In Seoul, Otto uniquely won gold medals in three different strokes, freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly, and her overall performance at in 1988 ranks as one of history’s greatest sporting achievements. Her gold medals came in the 50 and 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, and 100 butterfly, as well as in both relays.
At the 1987 European Championships, Otto had won five of the same six events, missing only the 50, in which she did not compete. At the World Championships in 1982 and 1986, she won seven gold medals. Otto set two individual world records, and contributed to four relay world records during her career. Due to the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Olympics, she could not participate in Los Angeles.
After German re-unification it became known that Otto was given doping substances as a part of the state prescribed doping program. She was stripped of her title as 1988 European Swimmer of the Year due to her doping history, which was the same punishment for other East German swimmers. In 2013, the US journal “Swimming World” dismissed her for the 1984, 1986 and 1988 awards as “World Swimmer of the Year” because of the systematic doping in GDR swimming. Otto always denied having taken any doping substances.
Nevertheless, Otto was name Sportswoman of the Year in 1988 and 1989 in the former GDR, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1993. Otto later studied sports journalism at the university of Leipzig, and then had several opportunities at different German radio and TV channels until establishing herself at German TV channel ZDF. In the years 2001-06 she presented Germany’s Athlete of the Year award. In January 2018, she was appointed deputy head of the ZDF sports report editorial team.
Personal Bests: 50 freestyle – 25.49 (1988); 100 freestyle – 54.93 (1994); 100 backstroke – 1:00.89 (1988); 100 butterfly – 59.00 (1988).
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GDR |
Kristin Otto | |||
| 50 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 100 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | East Germany | 1 | Gold | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 100 metres Butterfly, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 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 (50 m freestyle – 16 February 1986 - 14 June 1986: 25.62 (16 February 1986; Barcelona, ESP); 100 m freestyle – 19 August 1986 - 3 August 1993: 54.73 (19 August 1986; Madrid, ESP); 200 m freestyle – 23 May 1984 - 18 June 1986: 1:57.75 (23 May 1984; Magdeburg, GDR); 50 m backstroke – 22 September 1988 - 22 May 1997: 29.12 (22 September 1988; Seoul, KOR); 100 m butterfly – 23 September 1988 - 2 July 1999: 59.00 (23 September 1988; Seoul, KOR); 4×100 m freestyle relay – 21 August 1984 - 16 September 2000: 3:42.41 (21 August 1984; Moskva, URS), 3:40.57 (19 August 1986; Madrid, ESP); 4×200 m freestyle relay – 22 August 1983 - 17 August 1986: 8:02.27 (22 August 1983; Roma, ITA); 4×100 m medley relay – 7 August 1982 - 26 August 1983: 4:05.88 (7 August 1982; Guayaquil, ECU))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Short Course Swimming (100 m backstroke – 8 January 1983 - 12 February 1995: 59.97 (8 January 1983; Indianapolis, USA))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m freestyle – 19 August 1986 - 1 March 1992: 54.73 (19 August 1986; Madrid, ESP); 200 m freestyle – 23 May 1984 - 18 June 1986: 1:57.75 (23 May 1984; Magdeburg, GDR); 4×100 m freestyle relay – 21 August 1984 - 28 July 1992: 3:42.41 (21 August 1984; Moskva, URS), 3:40.57 (19 August 1986; Madrid, ESP); 4×200 m freestyle relay – 22 August 1983 - 17 August 1986: 8:02.27 (22 August 1983; Roma, ITA); 4×100 m medley relay – 6 August 1982 - 26 August 1983: 4:05.88 (6 August 1982; Guayaquil, ECU))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (9–1–1 1983 Roma SWM gold: 4×100 m freestyle relay and 4×200 m freestyle relay, silver: 100 m freestyle; 1987 Strasbourg SWM gold: 100 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke, 100 m butterfly, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay; 1989 Bonn SWM gold: 100 m backstroke and 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 200 m backstroke)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (7–2–0 1982 Guayaquil SWI gold: 100 m backstroke, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay; 1986 Madrid SWI gold: 100 m freestyle, 200 m medley, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 50 m freestyle and 100 m butterfly)
- Listed in Olympic Swimmers - Doubles Champions, Same Year (1988 50/100 Freestyle Sprint Double Champion.)
- Listed in Olympians Who Were Elected East German Athlete of the Year (1988, 1989)