Rosemarie Ackermann

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Medal record
Rosemarie Ackermann
Rosemarie Ackermann
Women's Athletics
Competitor for Flag of the German Democratic Republic East Germany
Olympic Games
Gold 1976 Montreal High Jump

Rosemarie Ackermann (born April 4, 1952) is a former East German high jumper. She was the first female high jumper ever to clear the height of 2.00 m, on August 26, 1977 in Berlin.

[edit] Career

She was born as Rosemarie Witschas in Lohsa, Saxony. Under that name, she took part for East Germany in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, finishing seventh behind Ulrike Meyfarth.

In 1974, at the European Championships in Rome, she won her first international title, setting a new world record (1.95m) along the way. Later that year, she married handball player Manfred Ackermann, and assumed his surname. The peak of her career came two years later, when she won the gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Canada.

She lost her European title to Italian jumper Sara Simeoni in 1978, when they both cleared the world-record height of 2.01 m. However, Ackermann's early celebrations caused the rod to fall, leaving her with second place. Ackermann retired from athletics after the 1980 Olympics, where she placed fourth, just outside the medals.

Records
Preceded by
Flag of Bulgaria Yordanka Blagoeva
Women's High Jump World Record Holder
August 24, 1972August 4, 1978
Succeeded by
Flag of Italy Sara Simeoni
Awards
Preceded by
Flag of Romania Nadia Comaneci
United Press International
Athlete of the Year

1977
Succeeded by
Flag of the United States Tracy Caulkins
Preceded by
Flag of the German Democratic Republic Kornelia Ender
East German Sportswoman of the Year
1977
Succeeded by
Flag of the German Democratic Republic Marita Koch
Preceded by
Flag of the Soviet Union Tatyana Kazankina
Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year
1977
Succeeded by
Flag of the German Democratic Republic Marita Koch
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Unknown
Women's High Jump Best Year Performance
1977
Succeeded by
Flag of Italy Sara Simeoni
Preceded by
Flag of Italy Sara Simeoni
Women's High Jump Best Year Performance
1979
Succeeded by
Flag of Italy Sara Simeoni