Cornelia Bürki
Encyclopedia
Cornelia Bürki is a retired long-distance runner from Switzerland
, who represented her native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1980. She is a 47-time national champion outdoors, which includes a fifteen-year undefeated streak in cross country
and fifteen consecutive titles over 1500 metres
from 1975 to 1989. She was voted the Swiss Sports Personality of the Year
in 1978. That year she had finished fifth in the long race at the 1978 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
.
On her Olympic debut at the 1980 Summer Olympics
she finished seventh in her semi-final over 1500 metres
. That year she also won the women's 7 km race at the inaugural Greifenseelauf
. She ran at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics
, finishing tenth and eleventh in the 1500 m and 3000 metres
respectively. She was fifth in the women's 3000 m at the 1984 Summer Olympics
and also took fifth in the long race at the 1985 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
. She was selected to represent Switzerland at the 1986 European Athletics Championships and she was seventh in the 3000 m final. That season she was ranked third over 1500 m in the IAAF Grand Prix Final
.
She was seventh in the long race at the 1987 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
and just missed out on a global medal on the track later that year, taking fourth place in the 1500 and 3000 meters m at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics
. After bad luck with a severe upper leg injury she still managed to qualify for her final Olympics in 1988 in Seoul
, she took on both the 1500 m and 3000 m. She was knocked out in the preliminary rounds in the former event, but went on to finish in eleventh in the 3000 m final. She was also the national flag-bearer for Switzerland at the event.
Cornelia Bürki had a lot of bad luck. Missing a medal at the World Championships in Rome in the 3000 meters by just 1/100 second. At the cross Swiss country championships in 1988 she slipped and pulled the satorius muscle so badly that she couldn't train for weeks. She still managed to qualify for Olympics in Seoul. The injury caused problems for the next 2 years. She decided to retire from the track. Since 1981, she has been the primary care-giver of her daughter Esther, who was in a coma for six months after a car accident and still uses a wheelchair today.
Cornelia is the owner of a Bed and Breakfast in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and takes care of her disabled daughter.She is also coaching middle distance runners in her hometown Rapperswil.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, who represented her native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1980. She is a 47-time national champion outdoors, which includes a fifteen-year undefeated streak in cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
and fifteen consecutive titles over 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
from 1975 to 1989. She was voted the Swiss Sports Personality of the Year
Swiss Sports Personality of the Year
The Swiss Sports Personality of the Year used to be chosen annually since 1950 by the Swiss newspaper Sport. As the newspaper was discontinued in the 1990s, the winners are now chosen by Swiss journalists and TV spectators. Their results count 50 % each and the mode is arguable, since journalists...
in 1978. That year she had finished fifth in the long race at the 1978 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1978 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 6th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 26, 1978 in Glasgow, Scotland.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
.
On her Olympic debut at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
she finished seventh in her semi-final over 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
. That year she also won the women's 7 km race at the inaugural Greifenseelauf
Greifenseelauf
The Greifenseelauf is an annual road running event in the Swiss Canton of Zurich, that was established in 1980 and takes place in the middle of September....
. She ran at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
, finishing tenth and eleventh in the 1500 m and 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
respectively. She was fifth in the women's 3000 m at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics
At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:...
and also took fifth in the long race at the 1985 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1985 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 13th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 24, 1985 in Lisbon, Portugal. There were a total number of 570 participating athletes from 50 countries.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
. She was selected to represent Switzerland at the 1986 European Athletics Championships and she was seventh in the 3000 m final. That season she was ranked third over 1500 m in the IAAF Grand Prix Final
IAAF Grand Prix Final
The IAAF Grand Prix Final was an athletics competition featuring track and field events staged by the International Association of Athletics Federations...
.
She was seventh in the long race at the 1987 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1987 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 15th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 22, 1987 in Warsaw, Poland. There were a total number of 576 participating athletes from 47 countries.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
and just missed out on a global medal on the track later that year, taking fourth place in the 1500 and 3000 meters m at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
. After bad luck with a severe upper leg injury she still managed to qualify for her final Olympics in 1988 in Seoul
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, she took on both the 1500 m and 3000 m. She was knocked out in the preliminary rounds in the former event, but went on to finish in eleventh in the 3000 m final. She was also the national flag-bearer for Switzerland at the event.
Cornelia Bürki had a lot of bad luck. Missing a medal at the World Championships in Rome in the 3000 meters by just 1/100 second. At the cross Swiss country championships in 1988 she slipped and pulled the satorius muscle so badly that she couldn't train for weeks. She still managed to qualify for Olympics in Seoul. The injury caused problems for the next 2 years. She decided to retire from the track. Since 1981, she has been the primary care-giver of her daughter Esther, who was in a coma for six months after a car accident and still uses a wheelchair today.
Cornelia is the owner of a Bed and Breakfast in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and takes care of her disabled daughter.She is also coaching middle distance runners in her hometown Rapperswil.