Karin BURNELEIT

At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, during gender testing, Karin Burneleit learned that she was pregnant in her third month. She then reached the semifinals over 800 metres, but was eliminated. After the 1972 Games, where she placed fourth over 1500 metres, she married her teammate and long distance runner Joachim Krebs (né 1949), who was a member of the Technical Committee of the IAAF from 1987-91. Their daughter Nadja (né 1976) also became a useful medium and long distance runner.

Karin Burneleit-Krebs herself became European Champion in 1971 in the 1,500 and although she did not start in the final of that competition in 1974, she became European indoor runner-up the same year. She also won six East German titles in different distances and set two world records, running 4:09.6 for 1,500 m in August 1971 to become the first female athlete under 4 minutes and 10 seconds in this event. Her other world record was never ratified, as she ran 2:35.0 for 1,000 metres in 1974 in Potsdam, but the event was not yet accorded record status by the IAAF.

Professionally she was an educated horticulturist. Until German reunification she was employed by the East German Track and Field Association. Since 1995 she has been a self-employed sports and event manager.

Personal Best: 800 – 2:00.1 (1971); 1500 – 4:04.11 (1972).