Antje Gleichfeld (née Braasch on 31 March 1938) is a retired

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

middle-distance runner.

Biography

Gleichfeld's father was killed on the fronts of World War II, and she had to take odd jobs from the age of six to help support her family. As a teenager she played handball before changing to athletics. Competing in the 800 m Gleichfeld finished fifth at the Olympic Games in

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

and

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

; she won a bronze medal at the 1966 European Championships. She also won three medals at the Universiade; a gold in

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 ...

and silver medals in

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...

and

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

. At the 1969 European Championships she won a bronze medal in the 4 × 400 m relay, together with teammates

Christa Czekay Christa Czekay, née Elsler (20 March 1944 in Waldenburg – 14 June 2017) was a West German sprinter who specialized in the 200 and 400 metres. Biography She won a bronze medal in 4 × 400 metres relay at the 1969 European Championships along w ...

, Inge Eckhoff and

Christel Frese Christel Frese (born 3 August 1944, in Lennep) is a German former athlete who was successful as a 400-meter runner in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She competed for the Federal Republic of Germany in the 1972 Olympics. She won one silver and one ...

. Domestically she represented the sports club LG Alstertal-Garstedt. She became West German 800 m outdoor champion in 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966, and indoor champion in 1962 and 1965. In the

400 metres The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics (sport), athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1964 for women. On a standard outdoor runn ...

she became West German champion in 1965.West German championships, women's 400 metres
– Sport-Komplett Gleichfeld set three world records: in the 800 m indoor in 1965 (2:07.1), in the 4 × 400 m relay in 1969 (3:33.9) and in the 3×800 m relay in 1967 (6:21.0), as well as one European and eight national records. In 1964 she became the first German woman to run 800 m faster than 2:05 minutes. The same year she was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf by the German Track and Field Association. She married Detlev Gleichfeld, also a middle-distance runner.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gleichfeld, Antje 1938 births Living people West German female sprinters West German female middle-distance runners Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes of the United Team of Germany Olympic athletes of West Germany Athletes from Hamburg European Athletics Championships medalists Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field) Universiade gold medalists for West Germany Medalists at the 1959 Summer Universiade Medalists at the 1961 Summer Universiade Medalists at the 1963 Summer Universiade