Dirk Richter
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Full name | Dirk•Richter |
| Used name | Dirk•Richter |
| Born | 12 September 1964 in Cottbus, Brandenburg (GER) |
| Measurements | 190 cm / 85 kg |
| Affiliations | SC Einheit Dresden, Dresden (GER) / Dresdner SC, Dresden (GER) |
| NOC |  East Germany  Germany |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 0 |
| Silver | 0 |
| Bronze | 2 |
| Total | 2 |
Biography
Swimmer Dirk Richter was a backstroke specialist who won two Olympic bronze medals with the 4x100 medley relay. The first was representing East Germany at Seoul in 1988, and the second with re-unified Germany at Barcelona in 1992. Richter was also ninth in the 100 back and fifth in the 200 in 1988, and placed eighth and 17th respectively over the same two distances in 1992. Due to the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Games he could not participate in Los Angeles.
Between 1982-91 Richter also won two medals of each color at the World Championships, with an individual gold over 100 metres in 1982, setting a new European record. Richter was even more successful at European Championships, winning two golds, seven silvers and five bronzes between 1981-91.
Nationally, Richter won 15 titles. He trained as an electromechanical engineer, but after re-unification worked as a bank clerk in München. In his youth he was a footballer.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GDR |
Dirk Richter | |||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Men (Olympic) | East Germany | 3 | Bronze | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic) | 9 | |||||
| 200 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic) | 5 | |||||
| 1992 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | GER |
Dirk Richter | |||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Men (Olympic) | Germany | 3 | Bronze | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic) | 8 | |||||
| 200 metres Backstroke, Men (Olympic) | 17 |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (50 m backstroke – 22 December 1982 - 24 February 1988: 26.44 (22 December 1982; Ost-Berlin, GDR); 100 m backstroke – 21 March 1982 - 10 August 1985: 56.21 (21 March 1982; Hamburg, FRG), 56.19 (6 August 1982; Guayaquil, ECU), 55.95 (6 August 1982; Guayaquil, ECU), 55.94 (18 February 1984; Moskva, URS), 55.45 (26 May 1984; Magdeburg, GDR), 55.35 (27 May 1984; Magdeburg, GDR); 200 m backstroke – 24 May 1984 - 21 August 1984: 1:59.80 (24 May 1984; Magdeburg, GDR); 4×100 m freestyle relay – 21 August 1987 - 23 September 1988: 3:19.17 (21 August 1987; Strasbourg, FRA))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (2–7–5 1981 Split SWM bronze: 4×100 m medley relay (competed for East Germany); 1983 Roma SWM gold: 100 m backstroke, silver: 4×200 m freestyle relay, bronze: 4×100 m freestyle relay and 4×100 m medley relay (competed for East Germany); 1985 Sofia SWM silver: 100 m backstroke, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay (competed for East Germany); 1987 Strasbourg SWM gold: 4×100 m freestyle relay, bronze: 100 m freestyle (competed for East Germany); 1989 Bonn SWM bronze: 100 m backstroke (competed for East Germany); 1991 Athina SWM silver: 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, and 4×100 m freestyle relay (competed for Germany))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (2–2–2 1982 Guayaquil SWI gold: 100 m backstroke (competed for East Germany); 1986 Madrid SWI gold: 4×200 m freestyle relay, silver: 100 m backstroke, bronze: 4×100 m freestyle relay (competed for East Germany); 1991 Perth SWI gold: 50 m backstroke (demonstration event) and 4×50 m freestyle relay (demonstration event), silver: 4×100 m freestyle relay, bronze: 4×100 m medley relay (competed for Germany))