Rita WILDEN-JAHN

Rita Jahn took part in three consecutive Olympic Games, 1968 in the 200 and 4x100 relay (sixth), 1972 under her married name Wilden in the 400 (silver) and 4x400 relay (bronze), and 1976 in the same events (fifth with the relay). At the European Championships Jahn-Wilden won a silver medal with the 4x100 relay in 1969 and a bronze medal in the 400 in 1974. In 1971 she placed sixth in the 200 and in 1974 was fifth with the 4x400 relay. With the sprint relay she won the 1970 European Cup. At European Indoors she won four gold medals (1972 4x1 lap, 4x2 laps; 1973 4x1 lap; 1976 400 m) and one silver medal (1975 4x2 laps). Domestically she was West German Champion in the 200 in 1968, 1969 and 1971, and in the 400 for five consecutive years, 1972-76. Her collection was completed by six additional relay and eight indoor titles.

In all, Jahn-Wilden set nine world records over different distances and was for years the dominant 400 m runner in West Germany. She was Rudolf-Harbig-Gedächtnispreisträger (1976), and was also awarded the Silver Bay Leaf and the Sports Badge of North Rhine Westfalia in 1972.

Personal Bests: 100 – 11.71 (1976); 200 – 23.14 (1976); 400 – 50.88 (1974).