Helga Radtke

Long jumper Helga Radtke participated in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, disappointing with 6.42 m in the qualifying round, and failing to reach the final. At the World Championships she placed 12th in 1983 and 4th in 1987, starting for East Germany. After German reunification she twice failed in the qualifying round in 1991 and 1993. She also started in the triple jump once at the Worlds, placing fifth in 1993. In 1986 and 1990 Radtke won bronze medals in the long jump at the European Championships, missing the final in 1994, but she finished eighth in the triple jump that year. At the European Cup she placed second in the long jump in 1989, and in the triple jump was second in 1993, and first in 1994. At the World Cup Radtke placed fourth in 1989 (long jump), and sixth in the triple jump in both 1992 and 1994.

Radtke was even more successful at the World Indoor Championships, winning gold in 1985 and silver in 1987, and at the European Indoors she won two silvers in 1983 and 1986, and a bronze in 1990, all in long jump. Domestically she won East German titles in long jump in 1989 (indoor in 1985 and 1990), and German titles in the triple jump in 1993 and 1994 (also indoors both years). In 1992, she was the first German triple jumper to better 14.00 m. Her German record of 14.46 m from 1994 lasted over 17 years.

Many documents on doping in the former GDR became public after reunification, and her name was found in the list of doped athletes. After her active career Radtke worked at her homeclub 1. LAV Rostock as a coach, mainly for children, and also worked as a teacher for tai-chi.

Personal Best: LJ – 7.21 (1984).