Heike Friedrich (born 18 April 1970 in Karl-Marx-Stadt, Saxony) is a former freestyle swimmer from East Germany, who won two medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Heike Friedrich
Friedrich in 1988
Personal information
NationalityEast German
Born (1970-04-18) 18 April 1970 (age 54)
Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight63 kg (139 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubSC Karl-Marx-Stadt
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  East Germany
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1988 Seoul 200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1988 Seoul 4×100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1988 Seoul 400 m freestyle
World Championships – Long Course
Gold medal – first place 1986 Madrid 200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1986 Madrid 400 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1986 Madrid 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1986 Madrid 4×200 m freestyle
European Championships (LC)
Representing  East Germany
Gold medal – first place 1985 Sofia 100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1985 Sofia 200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1985 Sofia 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1985 Sofia 4×200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1985 Sofia 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 1987 Strasbourg 200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1987 Strasbourg 400 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1987 Strasbourg 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1987 Strasbourg 4×200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1989 Bonn 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1989 Bonn 4×200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1989 Bonn 400 m freestyle
Representing  Germany
Silver medal – second place 1991 Athens 4×200 m freestyle

At the age of 15, Friedrich won five gold medals in the 1985 European championships and won four more in the World Championship the next year. She had not lost in a single major international championship in any event until she was defeated by Janet Evans in the 400 m in the Seoul Olympics, taking the silver medal. Friedrich had already won the gold medal in the 200 m freestyle on the previous day.[1]

In October 1986, she was awarded a Star of People's Friendship in gold (second class) for her sporting success.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "THE SEOUL OLYMPICS: Swimming; Evans and Biondi Win Gold Again" New York Times. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Hohe staatliche Auszeichnungen verliehen" [Awarded high state awards]. Neues Deutschland (in German). Vol. 42, no. 243. 15 October 1986. p. 6. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
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Records
Preceded by Women's 200 metre freestyle
world record holder (long course)

18 June 1986 – 6 September 1994
Succeeded by