Liese Prokop
Encyclopedia
Liesel Prokop-Sykora (March 27, 1941 — December 31, 2006) was an Austria
n athlete who competed mainly in the pentathlon
and, later in her life, an Austria
n politician.
Born as Liese Sykora in Vienna
, she competed for Austria in the 1968 Summer Olympics
held in Mexico City
, Mexico
in the Pentathlon where she won the silver medal. In 1965 she married her former coach, Gunnar Prokop. The couple had two sons and a daughter.
Later she started a political career in Lower Austria
. Beginning in December 2004 she was Austrian Minister of the Interior for the conservative People's Party (ÖVP
).
She died unexpectedly of aortic dissection
while being rushed to a Sankt Pölten
hospital on New Year's Eve, 2006.
She was the sister of Maria Sykora, who competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics, and aunt of Winter Olympic bronze medalist Thomas Sykora
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n athlete who competed mainly in the pentathlon
Modern pentathlon
The modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events: pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3 km cross-country run...
and, later in her life, an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n politician.
Born as Liese Sykora in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, she competed for Austria in the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
held in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in the Pentathlon where she won the silver medal. In 1965 she married her former coach, Gunnar Prokop. The couple had two sons and a daughter.
Later she started a political career in Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
. Beginning in December 2004 she was Austrian Minister of the Interior for the conservative People's Party (ÖVP
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
).
She died unexpectedly of aortic dissection
Aortic dissection
Aortic dissection occurs when a tear in the inner wall of the aorta causes blood to flow between the layers of the wall of the aorta and force the layers apart. The dissection typically extends anterograde, but can extend retrograde from the site of the intimal tear. Aortic dissection is a medical...
while being rushed to a Sankt Pölten
Sankt Pölten
Sankt Pölten is the capital city of the State of Lower Austria in northeast Austria. With inhabitants , it is Lower Austria's largest city...
hospital on New Year's Eve, 2006.
She was the sister of Maria Sykora, who competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics, and aunt of Winter Olympic bronze medalist Thomas Sykora
Thomas Sykora
Thomas Sykora is a former alpine skier from Austria. He comes from a sporting family: his father Ernst Sykora was a ski instructor, and his aunts Liese Prokop and Maria Sykora were both successful athletes.-Overall results:...
.