Ronald WEIGEL

Race walker Ronald Weigel won two silver medals in the 20K and 50K representing East Germany at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. In 1992 he added another bronze over 50 km with the reunified German team and in 1976 he retired. His greatest moment came in 1983 when he won the World Championship title over 50 km, adding another silver medal in 1987. In 1986, 1990 and 1994 he participated in the European Championship with limited success. At the World Indoors he placed ninth in 1991 and fifth in 1993, both over 5 km. At the European Indoors he won two silver medals in 1987 and 1994, and came in fourth in 1992.

Domestically Weigel earned six East German titles outdoors and another six indoors. After reunification he added another four outdoor and four indoor titles. He also set two indoor and one outdoor world records. Weigel moved to Australia in 1997 to become national coach for race walking and returned to Germany in 2002. He then became German national coach, and in 2010 also began coaching the marathon runners. In the former GDR he was an unofficial employee at the Ministry of State Security (Stasi), but not in a prominent position, so there were no doubts about his selection as national coach.

Personal Bests: 20kmW – 1-19:19 (1990); 50kmW – 3-38:17 (1986).