Rita Wilden

Rita Wilden (* 9. October 1947 in Leipzig as Rita Jahn ) is a former, for the Federal Republic of Germany takeoff, athlete and Olympian, as sprinter was successful.

Career

Rita Jahn came to Alsdorf with her parents when she was seven , where she stayed until she was 23, went to school and completed a commercial apprenticeship. Encouraged by her older brother, she began actively running at the age of 15 and joined the athletics department of Alemannia Aachen . The first national successes quickly emerged and she became German youth champion in the 100 meter run in 1964 . Four years later, she achieved second place at the German Championships in this discipline, but now in the women's class, and also became German champion in the 200-meter run for the first time , qualifying for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico . Here, however, she did not make it to the finals.

After Rita Jahn was able to repeat her success as German champion in the 200-meter run in 1969, she won silver in the 4 x 100 meter relay at the European Athletics Championships in 1969 . She then moved to Leverkusen , where she married a Mr. Wilden and switched to TuS 04 Leverkusen from the 1970 season . Under her new coach Gerd Osenberg she reached the peak of her career.

After a sixth place at the European Championships in 1971 in the 200-meter run, Rita Wilden subsequently switched to the 400-meter course . Just one year later, she won the silver medal in this discipline at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, behind GDR starter Monika Zehrt and ahead of US-American Kathy Hammond . In the 4 x 400 meter relay , which was held for the first time for women at the Olympic Games , she was third with the relay of the Federal Republic of Germany (3: 26.5 min, together with Anette Rückes , Inge Bödding and Hildegard Falck ) behind the teams of GDR (gold) and the USA (silver). Two years later, she won bronze over 400 meters (50.88 s) at the 1974 European Championships .

For the 1976 Olympic Games she qualified again, but was only fifth with the 4 x 400 meter relay and was eliminated in the individual ranking of the 400 meter run in the semifinals.

Overall, Rita Wilden-Jahn became three times German champion in the 200-meter run in 1968, 1969 and 1971 and five times German champion in a row in the 400-meter run from 1972 to 1976. In addition, she became the European indoor 400-meter champion in 1976.

On September 11, 1972, Rita Wilden received the Silver Laurel Leaf for her athletic achievements .

literature

• Klaus Amrhein: Biographical manual on the history of German athletics 1898–2005 . 2 volumes. Darmstadt 2005 published on German Athletics Promotion and Project Society

Web links

• Rita Jahn-Wilden in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )
• Hubert Meisen: Sprinter Rita Wilden: An elegant running style and many successes , in: Aachener Zeitung from November 7, 2017

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Sports report of the Federal Government of September 29, 1973 to the Bundestag - printed matter 7/1040 - page 67