Silke Hörner (born 12 September 1965) is a German former

breaststroke Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and that it can be s ...

swimmer, a leading member of the 1980s East German swimming team. She won two Olympic gold medals, in the 200 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...

in Seoul, and set four individual world records. She was named by

Swimming World Magazine ''Swimming World'' is a US-based monthly swimming magazine that was first published in a magazine format as ''Junior Swimmer'' in January 1960. It concurrently runs online websites ''Swimming World Magazine'' and ''Swimming World News'', (known ...

as European Swimmer of the Year in 1985 and 1987, but her achievements are regarded with suspicion due to the state-run systematic doping program run by East Germany. In 1991, former East German swimming coach Michael Regner claimed that in the 1980s he had been instructed to distribute anabolic steroids to team swimmers, including Hörner.
"Political Pressure Dismantles East German Sports Machine", New York Times 12 February 1991 Hörner came to prominence when she set a world record in the 200 m breaststroke of 2:28.33 at Leipzig in qualifying for the East German team for the 1985 European Championships. There she stumbled, swimming outside her best to place third in the 200 m event. She also claimed silver behind teammate Sylvia Gerasch in the 100 m event. Despite winning neither event, she was named as the European Swimmer of the Year. At the 1986 World Championships in Madrid, Hörner, set a world record in the 200 m breaststroke on her way to gold, reclaiming the record from Gerasch who had broken it earlier in the year. At the 1987 European Championships in

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...

, France, Hörner won both breaststroke events, claiming the 100 m breaststroke record from Gerasch in the process and also a gold medal in the 4×100 m medley relay, resulting in her second European Swimmer of the Year award. At the

in Seoul, Hörner, set a world record in the 200 m breaststroke on her way to gold, reclaiming the record from

Allison Higson Allison Ann Higson (born March 13, 1973), later known by her married name Allison Cavanaugh, is a former 2-time Olympic breaststroke, individual medley, and freestyle swimming, freestyle swimming (sport), swimmer from Canada. Born in Mississauga, ...

of Canada who had broken it earlier in the year. She was well outside her world record in the 100 m breaststroke, finishing with the bronze medal. She later combined with Kristin Otto,

Birte Weigang Birte Weigang (born 31 January 1968 in Leipzig) is a former butterfly and backstroke swimmer from East Germany, who won three medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. The twenty-year-old triumphed with the DDR women's relay te ...

and

Katrin Meissner Katrin Meissner (german: Katrin Meißner, born 17 January 1973) is a former freestyle swimmer from East Germany, who won three medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Specia ...

to win gold in the 4×100 m medley relay. She is married to

sprint canoer Canoe sprint is a water sport in which athletes race canoes or kayaks on calm water. Overview Race categories vary by the number of athletes in the boat, the length of the course, and whether the boat is a canoe or kayak. Canoe sprints are som ...

Alexander Schuck Alexander Schuck (born 18 May 1957) is an East German canoe sprinter who competed in the 1980s. He won two medals in the C-2 1000 m event at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with a gold in 1985 and a silver in 1983. Schuck also fi ...

Awards and honours

:* 1988 Patriotic Order of Merit in Gold

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Horner, Silke 1965 births Living people Swimmers from Leipzig East German female breaststroke swimmers East German female swimmers Olympic swimmers for East Germany Olympic gold medalists for East Germany Olympic bronze medalists for East Germany Swimmers at the 1988 Summer Olympics World record setters in swimming Olympic bronze medalists in swimming World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists in swimming Recipients of the Patriotic Order of Merit in gold Sportspeople from Leipzig