Wolfgang Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Schmidt (born 16 January 1954) is a former German
track and field
athlete, who competed for East Germany at the 1976 Summer Olympics
and won the silver medal
in the discus throw
. A former world record holder, he also won several medals at the European Championships in Athletics
. Schmidt made headlines in 1982 due to his failed attempt to escape from East Germany. He later competed for the Federal Republic of Germany
and won third place in the 1990 European Championships in Athletics
. Born in Berlin
, he competed for the SC Dynamo Berlin
/ Sportvereinigung (SV) Dynamo.
His personal best throw was 71.16 metres, achieved in August 1978 in Berlin
. This ranks him third among German discus throwers, only behind Jürgen Schult
and Lars Riedel
.
and they uncovered a plan for his escape (aided by discus colleague Ricky Bruch
). In the fall of 1982, Schmidt was condemned to one and a half years prison. However, one year later it was adjusted and he was ordered to become a coach with SC Dynamo Adlershof, a sports team of the Felix Dzerzhinsky Watch Regiment
. Wolfgang Schmidt filed a departure request so that he could continue his athletic career in the West. At the end of 1987, he was allowed to move to West Germany, though it was already too late to be considered for the 1988 Olympic Games
in Seoul
. After the first track competition between East and West Germany, Jürgen Schult
, having won the discus throw, refused to shake hands with Schmidt.
, but was not considered for the German Olympic team (rival Jürgen Schult was chosen and went on to win the silver medal). Schmidt later moved to San Francisco and became a stockbroker and management consultant.
In East Germany, Schmidt competed for SV Dynamo
and trained with Joachim Spenke. He later competed for LG VfB Stuttgart and Stuttgarter Kickers. While competing, he was 1.99 meters tall and weighed 115 kg.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete, who competed for East Germany at the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
and won the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
. A former world record holder, he also won several medals at the European Championships in Athletics
European Championships in Athletics
The European Athletics Championships is an event organized by the European Athletic Association. It is organised every four years, the same year as the Commonwealth Games and between the Summer Olympic Games cycle. After the 2010 Championships in Barcelona, the European Championships will take...
. Schmidt made headlines in 1982 due to his failed attempt to escape from East Germany. He later competed for the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and won third place in the 1990 European Championships in Athletics
1990 European Championships in Athletics
The 15th European Athletics Championships were held from 26 August to 2 September 1990 in Split, a city in Croatia .It was the last participation of East Germany ....
. Born in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, he competed for the SC Dynamo Berlin
SC Dynamo Berlin
The Sports Club Dynamo Berlin was an East German sports club that existed from 1954 to 1991. It was a training center for the Sports Club Dynamo .-Sporting spectrum:...
/ Sportvereinigung (SV) Dynamo.
Athletic achievements
- 1973: European Junior Championships: 1st place in discus (61.30)
- 1974: European Championships1974 European Championships in AthleticsThe 11th European Athletics Championships was held from 2 September to 8 September 1974 in the Stadio Olimpico of Rome, the capital of Italy.-Track:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982-Field:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982-Track:1969 |1971 |1974 |1978 |1982...
: 8th place in discus (59.56) - 1976: Olympic Games1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
: 2nd place in discus (63.68 - foul - 65.16 - foul - 63.96 - 66.22) - 1978: European Championships1978 European Championships in AthleticsThe 12th European Athletics Championships were held from 29 August to 3 September 1978 in Prague, the capital city of Czechoslovakia.-Track:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |-Field:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |-Track:1971 |1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |...
: 1st place in discus (64.04 - 61.68 - 64.52 - 62.08 - 65.94 - 66.82); 4th place in shot putShot putThe shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
(19.86 - 19.63 - 19.92 - 19.62 - 20.30 - 19.49) - 1980: Olympic Games1980 Summer OlympicsThe 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...
: 4th place in discus (65.64) - 1990: European Championships1990 European Championships in AthleticsThe 15th European Athletics Championships were held from 26 August to 2 September 1990 in Split, a city in Croatia .It was the last participation of East Germany ....
: 3rd place in discus (61.28 - 60.84 - foul - 64.08 - 64.10 - foul), competing for West GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. - 1991: World Championships1991 World Championships in Athletics - Men's DiscusThese are the official results of the Men's Discus Throw event at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. There were a total of 36 participating athletes, with the final held on Tuesday August 27, 1991.-Medalists:-Schedule:...
: 4th place in discus (64.76)
His personal best throw was 71.16 metres, achieved in August 1978 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. This ranks him third among German discus throwers, only behind Jürgen Schult
Jürgen Schult
Jürgen Schult is a former German track and field athlete and the current world record holder in the discus throw since 1986, currently the longest standing record in men's track and field...
and Lars Riedel
Lars Riedel
Lars Riedel a former German discus thrower. Riedel has the sixth longest discus throw of all-time with a personal best of 71.50m....
.
Flight from East Germany
After a disappointing fourth place finish at the 1980 Olympics and missing the 1981 World Championships in Rome due to a second place finish in the East German Championships, Wolfgang Schmidt decided to pursue athletic success in the West. He was constantly under surveillance by the VolkspolizeiVolkspolizei
The Volkspolizei , or VP, were the national police of the German Democratic Republic . The Volkspolizei were responsible for most law enforcement in East Germany, but its organisation and structure were such that it could be considered a paramilitary force as well...
and they uncovered a plan for his escape (aided by discus colleague Ricky Bruch
Ricky Bruch
Björn Rickard "Ricky" Bruch was a Swedish athlete and actor.Bruch was born in Örgryte, Gothenburg, grew up in Skåne, and was later a long-time resident of Malmö....
). In the fall of 1982, Schmidt was condemned to one and a half years prison. However, one year later it was adjusted and he was ordered to become a coach with SC Dynamo Adlershof, a sports team of the Felix Dzerzhinsky Watch Regiment
Felix Dzerzhinsky Watch Regiment
The Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment was an elite motorized rifles regiment under the command of the Ministry for State Security of the German Democratic Republic . It was named in honor of Felix Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Soviet secret police...
. Wolfgang Schmidt filed a departure request so that he could continue his athletic career in the West. At the end of 1987, he was allowed to move to West Germany, though it was already too late to be considered for the 1988 Olympic Games
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...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. After the first track competition between East and West Germany, Jürgen Schult
Jürgen Schult
Jürgen Schult is a former German track and field athlete and the current world record holder in the discus throw since 1986, currently the longest standing record in men's track and field...
, having won the discus throw, refused to shake hands with Schmidt.
Life after political turmoil
In 1992 Schmidt unseated Jürgen Schult as the German champion in the discus throw. He competed in the qualification meets for the 1992 Olympic Games in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, but was not considered for the German Olympic team (rival Jürgen Schult was chosen and went on to win the silver medal). Schmidt later moved to San Francisco and became a stockbroker and management consultant.
In East Germany, Schmidt competed for SV Dynamo
SV Dynamo
The Sports Club Dynamo was the sport organization of the security agencies of former East Germany. The sports club was founded on 27 March 1953 and was headquartered in Hohenschönhausen in East Berlin...
and trained with Joachim Spenke. He later competed for LG VfB Stuttgart and Stuttgarter Kickers. While competing, he was 1.99 meters tall and weighed 115 kg.