Olaf Prenzler (born 2 April 1958) is an

East German East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...

former sprinter who specialised in the 100 and

200 metres The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...

Career

Prenzler was born in 1958 in Kästorf near

Gifhorn Gifhorn () is a town and capital of the district of Gifhorn (district), Gifhorn in the east of Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of about 42,000 and is mainly influenced by the small distance to the more industrial and commercially import ...

in Lower Saxony, Germany. He was a European Junior silver medallist in the 100 metres in 1977. In 1979 he was the East German 100 metres champion; he also won the national 200 metres in 1978, and 1983. Prenzler was the East German indoor 200 metres champion on three occasions. At the 1978 European Championships he won silver medals in the 200 metres and in the

4 × 100 metres relay The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners must begin in the same stagger as for the individ ...

, the latter with teammates Manfred Kokot, Eugen Ray and Alexander Thieme. He participated in the

1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad (russian: Игры XXII Олимпиады, Igry XXII Olimpiady) and commo ...

, in the

but was eliminated in the semi-finals. At the 1982 European Championships he won the Gold in the 200 metres. In the 4 × 100 metres relay he won a silver medal with teammates

Thomas Munkelt Thomas Munkelt (born 3 August 1952) is a retired East German athlete, winner of 110 m hurdles at the 1980 Summer Olympics. Born in Zedtlitz, Bezirk Leipzig, East Germany, Thomas Munkelt was a classic high hurdler who dominated European hurdlin ...

, Detlef Kübeck and

Frank Emmelmann Frank Emmelmann (born 15 September 1961 in Groß Börnecke, Saxony-Anhalt) is a retired East German sprinter who specialized in the 100 and 200 metres. Biography In 1981 he was 2nd in the European cup final in the 100 metres, to the 1980 Mosc ...

. He won a silver medal in 200 m at the 1985 European Indoor Championships. At the 1986 European Championships he finished sixth in 100 m and seventh in 200 m. He then won another silver medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay with teammates Thomas Schröder,

Steffen Bringmann Steffen Bringmann (born 11 March 1964 in Leipzig) is a retired East Germany, East German sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres. Biography At the 1986 European Championships in Athletics, 1986 European Championships he won silver medals in ...

and Frank Emmelmann. He represented the sports team

SC Magdeburg SC Magdeburg is a handball club from Magdeburg, Germany, and is competing in the Handball-Bundesliga. History During the time in the GDR, the club won 10 national championships (1970, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1991) an ...

and became East German champion in 1978 (200 m), 1979 (100 m) and 1983 (200 m).East German championships – men's sprints
/ref> In July 1982 he helped established an East German relay record with 38.28 seconds.

References

1958 births Living people East German male sprinters Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes for East Germany European Athletics Championships medalists People from Gifhorn Friendship Games medalists in athletics Athletes from Lower Saxony SC Magdeburg athletes {{Germany-sprint-bio-stub