Erika fish

Erika Fisch (born April 29, 1934 in Hanover ) is a former German athlete and Olympic participant who - starting for the Federal Republic - in the 1950s and 1960s in long jump , 100-meter and 80-meter hurdles , pentathlon and was successful as a relay runner . She was considered the “Olympic unlucky fellow” because she was unlucky with injuries at three Olympic Games.

Life and accomplishments

Between 1953 and 1964 she took part in 19 international competitions and was among the top 5 in the world in five athletics disciplines in her best competitive time. She was considered the world's fastest starter, similar to her sprint friend Armin Hary , and was the most versatile German athlete.

In 1962 she won two medals at the European Championships in Belgrade: In the 80-meter hurdles she won bronze (10.6 s), at the same time as the gold medalist Teresa Ciepły in the European championship record , and silver in the 4 x 100 meter relay ( 44.6 s, together with Martha Pensberger , Maren Collin and Jutta Heine ; Erika Fisch as the first runner). Gold went to Poland in 44.5 s (European record).

Erika Fisch was bombed out with her family in Hanover in 1945. It started in 1953, initially for the MTV Osterode club , and from 1956 for Hannover 96 . In her competition time she was only 48 kg at 1.57 m tall. That is why she was nicknamed "Little Fish". She worked as a technical teacher in Hanover, married the teacher Günter Claus on May 1, 1965 and then ended her international competitive career. Their daughter was born on May 7, 1966. Erika Claus-Fisch lives in Garbsen near Hanover.

Honors

In recognition of her outstanding achievements and her sporting fairness, the DLV awarded her the Rudolf Harbig Memorial Prize in 1964 as the second athlete after Maria Sander (1956) . This challenge cup is awarded to a "worthy and deserving athlete who can be seen as a role model for young people in terms of attitude and performance". For her services in Lower Saxony, she was accepted into the gallery of honor of the Lower Saxony Institute for Sports History (NISH) in Hanover as an outstanding athlete who has significantly influenced and shaped the development of sport.

In 2009 the city of Hanover named the former all-around stadium at the Lower Saxony Stadium, in the immediate vicinity of the sports center, a larger sports facility with several grass pitches, 400-meter circular running track, extensive athletics facilities and a small grandstand in the Hanover Sports Park , in her honor in Erika-Fisch- Stadium around.

Long jump results at international highlights

• 1954, European Championships : 4th place (5.81 m)
• 1956, Olympic Games : 4th place (5.89 m), despite a torn muscle fiber in his thigh
• 1958, European Championships : 12th place (5.72 m), there was only one valid attempt

Results German Championships

• 1953 long jump 5.86 m (2)
• 1954 long jump (hall) 5.95 m, long jump 5.80 m (2)
• 1955 60 m (hall) 7.8 s, long jump (hall) 5.80 m
• 1956 80 m hurdles 11.0 s (2), long jump 6.19 m
• 1957 80 m hurdles 11.3 s
• 1958 55 m hurdles (hall) 8.0 s, 4 × 1 lap (hall) 1: 24.2 min, 4 × 100 m 48.1 s, long jump 6.15 m
• 1960 pentathlon 4301 points (3)
• 1961 60 m hurdles (hall) 8.4 s, 100 m 12.2 s (4); 80 m hurdles 11.0 s, pentathlon 4362 points (4)
• 1962 55 m hurdles (hall) 7.7 s, 4 × 1 lap (hall) 1: 21.7 min, 80 m hurdles 10.7 s, pentathlon 4481 points (3)
• 1963 80 m hurdles 10.7 s, 4 × 100 m 46.1 s, pentathlon 4355 points (5)
• 1964 50 m hurdles (hall) 7.2 s, 100 m 12.1 (5), 80 m hurdles 10.9 s (3), 4 × 100 m 47.3 s

She won 19 German championships.

Personal best

• 1956 100 m 11.6 s
• 1960 200 m 24.6 s
• 1958 long jump 6.21 m

Results German records

• 1956 100 m 11.6 s
• 1958 long jump 6.21 m (world record 6.35 m Elżbieta Krzesińska , Poland)
• 1962 80 m hurdles 10.6 s (world record 10.5 s Gisela Köhler -Birkemayer, GDR)

Results European records

• 1955 50 m (hall) 6.5 s
• 1956 50 m (hall) 6.5 s

World records

• 1954 long jump (hall) 5.95 m
• 1955 50 m hurdles (hall, 4 hurdles) 7.1 s
• 1956 4 × 100 m 45.1 s in the all-German selection: Erika Fisch (FRG), Christa Stubnick (GDR), Gisela Köhler (GDR), Bärbel Mayer (GDR) on September 30, 1956 at the Dresden Harbig Sports Festival in front of 110,000 spectators (World record). It started for the injured Gisela Henning (GDR).
• 1961 60 m hurdles (hall, 76.2 cm) 8.4 s
• 1963 50 m hurdles (hall, 4 hurdles) 7.0 s
• 1963 60 m hurdles (hall, 76.2 cm) 8.4 s

Web links

• Erika Fisch in the database of Sports-Reference (English; archived from the original )