Stefan Burkart

After dabbling with recreational drugs in his youth Stefan Burkart turned his life around to become one of the finest track sprinters in Switzerland during the 1980s and 1990s. Burkart specialised in the shortest sprint distances, winning multiple national titles both indoor and outdoors. His first title came in 1982 when he shared the 100 metres with compatriot Franco Fähndrich, after both athletes ran 10.47 seconds. This performance earned Burkart a place at the 1982 European Athletics Championships where he reached the semi-finals of the 100 metres. Three years later he won his first indoor title in the 60 metres, an event he would dominate with eight consecutive titles from 1985 to 1992, followed by back-to-back titles in 1995 and 1996. In 1986 he set a Swiss record for the 60 metres when he ran 6.61 seconds, and reached the semi-finals of the event at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Madrid, Spain.

After sharing the Swiss 100 metres title in 1982 Burkart won it outright in 1985, before winning five consecutive titles to 1990, followed by wins in 1995 and 1996. He was in line to compete at the 1988 Seoul Olympics but missed out on the Games due to an injury. He continued to train hard, eventually setting a Swiss record in the 100 metres in 1992 to secure a place at the Barcelona Olympics where he ran in both the 100 and 200 metres. He continued to compete at international events throughout the decade, making a return to the Olympics for the 1996 Atlanta Games at the age of 38. Burkart failed to advance from the heats of the 100 metres and retired from outdoor events later that year. He made sporadic appearances at indoor meets at the Swiss Championships before competing as a veteran in 2002.

Towards the end of his sprinting career Burkart was asked to also try out as a bobsledder. From 1998 to 2002 he made several appearances for the Swiss team at both the European Championships and the World Cup. He also began to coach up-and-coming athletes in the winter sport, including future Olympic medallists Thomas Lamparter, Martin Annen, and Gregor Stähli.

Burkart married British sprinter Helen Barnett in 1986, two years after she had represented Team GB at the Los Angeles Olympics. She returned to the Olympics for the 1992 Barcelona Games, this time competing for Switzerland.