Dieter Hoffmann

Shot putter Dieter Hoffmann placed 12th at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games with the mixed German team and fourth with the East German team four years later in Mexico. He did not qualify for the 1972 München Games. In 1969 he was European Champion, placing eighth in 1966 and seventh in 1971. He placed fourth at the 1965 European Cup and won a silver medal at the 1966 European Indoors. Domestically Hoffmann won the title in 1968, winning indoors in 1965 and 1966. In 1968 he bettered the European record twice within two weeks.

Hoffmann was educated as a machine fitter, but later worked as a sports teacher and became an officer in the Nationale Volksarmee (National People’s Army). In documents on doping in the former GDR, which became public after reunification, his name was found in the list of doped athletes. He was married to his teammate non-Olympian Sigrun Kurth, and their daughter Anne Hoffmann became a discus thrower.

Personal Best: SP – 20.60 (1969).