Stefan Junge

Stefan Junge, 1972.

Stefan Junge (born September 1, 1950 in Leipzig , Saxony ) is a former German athlete who - starting for the GDR - won the silver medal in the high jump at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich (2.21 m).

As a teenager, Stefan Junge was initially a decathlete and pole vaulter and was Spartakiade winner in both disciplines in 1966 .

In 1968 he finished second in the decathlon at the European Junior Games in Leipzig and then switched to high jump due to an injury. There he stood out for his frequently changing jumping styles; he basically jumped all techniques except the flop (see also high jump techniques ). He won his Olympic medal with the straddle.

Stefan Junge took part in the European Athletics Championships in 1971 and finished fifth. After his Olympic success in 1972, he was active until 1974 without any major international highlights. He became a civil engineer and received his doctorate. In his active career he started for the SC DHfK Leipzig and trained with Alfred Sgonina . He was 1.95 m tall at the time and weighed 85 kg.

In 1972 he received the Patriotic Order of Merit in bronze for his sporting success at the Olympic Games in Munich .