Marita Koch

Marita Koch, later Meier-Koch, is a German former sprinter who set 16 world records outdoors and 14 indoors during her career. Born in Wismar in East Germany, she was coached throughout her career by Wolfgang Meier, whom she later married. Her 400 metres record of 47.60 seconds, set in Canberra on 6 October 1985, still stands. She became the first woman to run 200 metres in under 22 seconds in 1979, and that mark lasted nine years. She won the 400 metres at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, and the East German boycott kept her out of the 1984 Games. She also won the European 400 metres title in 1978, 1982 and 1986 and ran on world record relay teams for East Germany.