Galina ASTAFEI

Alina Astafei was on the podium 10 times at major internationals, competing for Romania thru 1994 as Galina Astafei placing fifth at Seoul in 1988 and winning the silver medal at Barcelona in 1992, and then for Germany as Alina Astafei, placing fifth again at Atlanta in 1996. She was European Indoor Champion in 1989 and 1996, and won the 1995 World Indoor title. She won silver medals at the 1988 Olympics, 1995 Worlds, 1998 European Indoors, and the 1992 World Cup. She won three major bronze medals, at the 1989 World Cup, the 1990 European Indoors, and the 1998 Europeans. In 1988 she broke the indoor world record three times.

Galina Astafei was married to the former Romanian national volleyball player Alin Stavariu, although they later divorced. She was given her release by the Romanian Athletics Federation on 9 January 1995, and obtained German citizenship on 1 March 1995, after which she took the name Alina. She later married German high jumper Wolfgang Kreißig, living with one child from her first marriage and two they have had together. Astafei’s father is the former Romanian pole vaulter and record holder Petre Astafei, Sr. Her brother Petre, Jr., who was an active rugby player, was shot during the 1989 Romanian Revolution at the age of 22.

Personal Best: HJ – 2.04i (1994) (2.01 outdoors in 1995).