Grit Breuer

Grit Breuer was a controversial 400 metres runner who started at the Olympics in 1988 for East Germany and in 1996 and 2000 for the re-unified German team, winning two bronze medals with the 4x400 metres relays of East and Reunified Germany. At a doping test during a training camp in South Africa in 1992, a high dose of clenbuterol was found in her urine and that of their teammates Katrin Krabbe and Silke Möller. All three athletes were suspended for one year by the German Athletics Federation, but the International Athletics Association extended this to two years. Krabbe sued the IAAF and received damages (1.2 million DM), while Breuer did not and was able to compete again after the ban.

Breuer had a long list of successful competitions and set four world records. Her coach was the highly controversial Thomas Springstein, who also became her life partner. She won seven World Championships medals as follows: Gold – 1997 4×400; Silver – 1991 400; 2001 4×400; Bronze – 1991 4×100 and 4×400, 1997 4×400, 1999 4×400. This record was completed by two golds and three bronzes at the World Indoor Championships. At European Championships she won four golds in 1990, 1998 and 2002, and also won two gold medals at the European Indoor Championships. All-in-all she earned 22 national titles in the former GDR and re-unified Germany.

In 1998 Breuer was runner-up for German Sportswoman of the Year, but was elected Runner of the Year by “Runner’s World”, and in 2001 was German Track & Field Athlete of the Year. In 2003 she was awarded the “Silbernes Lorbeerblatt” (Silver Bay Leaf). She later became a fitness trainer and golf coordinator in a hotel in Warnemünde.

Personal Best: 400 – 49.42 (1991).