Birgit Fischer (born 25 February 1962 in Brandenburg an der Havel, then East Germany) is a kayaker, who has won 8 gold medals over a record 6 different Olympic Games: twice representing East Germany, then four times representing the reunited nation. After both the 1988 and 2000 games, she announced her retirement, only to return for the subsequent games. She has been both the youngest- and oldest-ever Olympic canoeing champion (ages 18 and 42). In 2004 she was voted German sportswoman of the year. // This article is about flatwater canoe racing. ... Badge, released in the USSR The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were held in Moscow in the Soviet Union. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... The 1996 Summer Olympics, formally known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and informally known as the Centennial Olympics, were held in 1996 in Atlanta, United States. ... The 2000 Summer Olympics or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were the Summer Olympic Games held in 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ... The 2000 Summer Olympics or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were the Summer Olympic Games held in 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ... The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... The 1996 Summer Olympics, formally known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and informally known as the Centennial Olympics, were held in 1996 in Atlanta, United States. ... The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... Brandenburg an der Havel is a town in the state of Brandenburg, Germany. ... GDR redirects here. ... // This article is about flatwater canoe racing. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... Anthem (third stanza) also called Germany() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() [] Capital (and largest city) Berlin Official languages German1 Government Parliamentary Federal Republic  -  President Horst Köhler  -  Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) Formation  -  Eastern Francia 843   -  Holy Roman Empire 962   -  German Confederation 8 June 1815   -  German Empire 18... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

She attended an ASK (army sports club) boarding school in Potsdam, and worked as a sports instructor in the National People's Army, attaining a rank of major by the time of German reunification in 1990. She was married from 1984 to 1993 to canoeist Joerg Schmidt. She lives with their two children in Brandenburg. In 1999 she stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for the FDP in the European Parliament election. A boarding school is an educational institution where some or all pupils not only study, but also live, amongst their peers. ... Potsdam is the capital city of the federal state of Brandenburg in Germany. ... The National People’s Army (German: Nationale Volksarmee) served as the military of the German Democratic Republic. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) German reunification (German: ) took place on October 3, 1990, when the areas of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR, in English commonly called East Germany) were incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, in English... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... A wood-and-canvas canoe evokes the heritage of canoeing in North America A canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, but also commonly sailed. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei - FDP) is a liberal political party in Germany. ... The 1999 election was the first election for the European Parliament after the enlargement of the European Union with Austria, Finland and Sweden. ...

Major Medals

• 1979 World Championships: gold in 500m K4.
• 1980 Olympics: gold in 500m K1.
• 1981 World Championships: gold in 500m K1, K2, and K4.
• 1982 World Championships: gold in 500m K1, K2, and K4.
• 1983 World Championships: gold in 500m K1, K2, and K4.
• 1984 Olympics: missed owing to Eastern Bloc boycott.
• 1985 World Championships: gold in 500m K1, K2, and K4.
• 1986: time off to give birth to her son Ole
• 1987 World Championships: gold in 500m K1, K2, and K4.
• 1988 Olympics: gold in 500m K2 and K4; silver in 500m K1.
• 1989–91: "retired"
• 1992 Olympics: gold in 500m K1; silver in 500m K4 (representing united Germany for the first time).
• 1993 World Championships: gold in 500m K1 and K4; bronze in 5000m K1.
• 1994 World Championships: gold in 500m K1 and K4; silver in 200m K2 and K4; bronze in 500m K2.
• 1995 World Championships: gold in 500m K4; silver in 200m K4.
• 1996 Olympics: gold in 500m K4; silver in 500m K2.
• 1997 World Championships: gold in 500m K2 and K4, 200m K2 and K4, and 1000m K2.
• 1998 World Championships: gold in 500m K4; silver in 500m K2 and 1000m K2.
• 1999 World Championships: silver in 500m K4.
• 2000 Olympics: gold in 500m K2 and K4.
• 2001–03: "retired"
• 2004 Olympics: gold in 500m K4; silver in 500m K2.
• 2005 World Championships: bronze in 1000m K4, bronze in 200m K2.

For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ... Canoeing at the 1980 Summer Olympics was held in the Man_made Basin, located at the Trade Unions Olympic Sports Centre (Krylatskoye district, Moscow). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Music sample: Olympic Fanfare and Theme ( file info) — composed by John Williams for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles Problems listening to the file? See media help. ... A map of the Eastern Bloc. ... Look up Boycott in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Final results for the Canoeing competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... At the 2000 Summer Olympics, 2 different Canoe/Kayak disciplines were contested: Flatwater and Slalom. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Canoeing at the 2004 Summer Olympics was held at the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre for the flatwater events and the Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom Centre at the Helliniko Olympic Complex for the canoe and kayak slalom disciplines. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Official website (in German)
• Fotographie by Birgit Fischer (in German)