Ulrike Klapezynski-Bruns

Ulrike Klapezynski-Bruns won the bronze medal in the 1,500 metres at the 1976 Olympic Games under her maiden name Klapezynski. She then married her coach Jürgen Bruns, later becoming mother of daughter Katharina and son Dominic. After the end of their sporting career, she was first a medical technician and then a lieutenant in the East German army. After German re-unification, she and her husband opened a sports shop in Potsdam.

She won the bronze medal at the 1987 World Championships in the 1,500. At the World Cup she won bronze medals in the 1,500 in 1977 amd 1981, and won the title in the 1985 3,000 metres. She reached the finals at the European Championships in 1974 in the 1,500 (sixth), in 1978 in the 800 and 1,500 metres, placing seventh in both races, and in 1982 in the 1,500 (fifth) and winning a bronze medal that year in the 3K. She also won the 1978 European Indoor in the 800 metres. Klapezynski-Burns won 15 East German titles at varying distances from 1972-87. In 1976 she was the first German woman to run 3,000 metres under 9 minutes and in 1977 the first to better 8:50, and she set two world records in non-Olympic events (the 1,000 and 4 x 800).

Personal Best: 800 – 1:57.06 (1976); 1,500 – 3:59.9 (1976); 3,000 – 8:36.38 (1984).