Rosendahl, Heidemarie (1947—)
Rosendahl, Heidemarie (1947—)
West German athlete. Name variations: Heide Rosendahl; Heidemarie Ecker. Born in West Germany on February 14, 1947; daughter of a national discusthrower.
Won the silver medal in pentathlon in the European championships (1967), won the gold medal (1971); won an Olympic gold medal in the long jump, a team gold in the 4x100-meter relay, and a silver in the pentathlon in Munich (1972).
Heidemarie Rosendahl began her successful sports career at age 19, taking a silver in the pentathlon in the European championships held in Budapest. She was injured in Mexico City in the 1968 Olympics, finishing 8th in the long jump and withdrawing from the pentathlon. At the World University Games in Turin in 1970, Rosendahl broke the world long-jump record with a jump of 22'5¼"; she then went on to win the European pentathlon title in Helsinki the following year.
In the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Rosendahl took a gold medal in the long jump over Diana Jorgova of Bulgaria. She also won a silver in the five-event pentathlon; Mary Peters of Great Britain took gold with a world record of 4,801 points. In the 4x100-meter relay, Rosendahl anchored the West German team of Christiane Krause, Ingrid Mickler , and Annegret Richter to win the gold medal in 42.81. In the event, Rosendahl had to stay ahead of East Germany's Renate Stecher , then considered the fastest woman in the world.