Cornelia SIRCH

Backstroke and medley swimmer Cornelia Sirch had her greatest moments at three European Championships, winning six gold and two silver medals between 1983 and 1987. In 1982 and 1986 she also won the World Championship in the 200 backstroke, setting a world record in the 1982 race. She finished her career with one gold, in the medley relay, and two bronze medals in the backstroke events at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul and then retired. Sirch was European Swimmer of the Year in 1982.

She trained with coach Wolfgang Fricke in Erfurt and suffered serious health problems which she attributed to years of systematic doping enforced on her by the GDR state system.