Heidi PECHSTEIN

Swimmer Heidi Pechstein won a bronze medal with the Unified German 4x100 freestyle team at the 1960 Roma Summer Games. She also reached the semi-finals of the 100 freestyle event. Four years later in Tokyo, she came sixth with the relay and participated in the 400 freestyle event. Her greatest sporting moment was at the 1962 European Championships in her hometown Leipzig, when she won two golds, with the 4x100 medley relay team (with a new world record in 4:40.1) and also in the 100 individual freestyle event. The relay team was elected Sports Team of the Year in 1962. In 1966 Pechstein added another silver, in the 400 individual medley.

Domestically she won six individual East German titles: 100 and 200 freestyle in 1961, 400 free in 1964 and in 1967 she won the 200, 400 and 800 free titles, She also won four relay titles between 1959-64.