Christine Wachtel

World-class 800 metre runner Christine Wachtel earned a silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games for East Germany, beaten by her teammate Sigrun Wodars. Four years later Wachtel was eliminated in the heats, running for Germany. Wodars and Wachtel were the world’s dominant 800 runners at the end of the 1980s. In 1987 Wachtel was European Indoor champion ahead of Wodars, also winning the World Indoors that year. At the World Championships Wodars defeated Wachtel. In 1989 and 1991 Wachtel defended her World Indoor title.

In 1991 Wachtel placed sixth at the Worlds and claimed a bronze medal with the 4x400 relay. She won the 1985 World Cup and came in second with the 4x400 relay in 1989. At the Europeans Wachtel was eighth in 1986, won silver in 1990 and did not reach the semifinals in 1994. She also came in third at the European Cups in 1985 and 1987, and was second in 1991, helping East Germany win the 4x400 relay in 1989. Domestically Wachtel won seven outdoor and five indoor titles in East Germany, adding three outdoor and two indoor German titles after reunification.

Wachtel set two world records in 1988 (1:57.64 and 1:56.40) in the 800, and in 1990 in the 1,000 (2:30.67), also indoors in the 800 in 1987 (1:58.33). At a hearing of witnesses in 1997 she stated having taken Oral-Turinabol- and STS-tablets between about 1985-90 to increase her performance, stating that she did not know these were anabolic steroids. She trained as a businesswoman and later owned a pizza bakery in Neubrandenburg after reunification. Wachtel married journalist Hans-Joachim Gurth.

Personal Best: 800 – 1:55.32 (1987).