Christian Schenk

Christian was the son of Eberhard Schenk, a former East German champion in hurdling. His greatest sports moment occurred at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games when he won the decathlon gold medal with 8,488 points. Schenk took part in three World Championships, placing fifth in 1987, winning bronze in 1991, and he was fourth in 1993. He added another bronze at the 1990 Europeans. The East German-born decathlete was a three-time runner-up (1985, 1987, 1990) at the national championships, but was German Champion after reunification in 1991 and 1993.

Schenk first studied medicine and then journalism in Mainz, and then went to German TV channel ZDF as a sports reporter for three years. He also owned the sports and marketing agency “Sports Unlimited”. Schenk started in sports as a gymnast before he changed to decathlon in 1975. Many documents on doping in the former GDR became public after reunification, and Schenk’s name was found in the list of doped athletes. His son Arvid became a football (soccer) goalkeeper at Hansa Rostock, FC St. Pauli, VfL Wolfsburg and FC Dundee.

Personal Best: Dec – 8500 (1993).