Jörg Drehmel
East German triple jumper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jörg Drehmel (3 May 1945 – May 2026[2]) was an East German triple jumper who won a silver medal at the 1972 Olympics. He was the European champion in 1971.[3]
Jörg Drehmel in 1970 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 May 1945 Trantow, Germany |
| Died | May 2026 (aged 80–81) |
| Height | 187 cm (6 ft 2 in) |
| Weight | 83 kg (183 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Triple jump |
| Club | ASK Vorwärts Potsdam |
| Coached by | Heinz Rieger |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best | 17.31 (1972)[1] |
Medal record | |
Sports career
Drehmel first tried his hand at the javelin throw and the decathlon before switching to the triple jump in 1966. His first big success came with a win at the European Cup in 1970, where he was the first German jumper to set a record with the first-ever jump over 17 meters. His jump of 17.16 meters to win the European Championship in 1971 did not qualify as a record due to excessive tail wind.[3]
Background
Drehmel had a degree in electronics and was an officer in the National People's Army. At the end of his career in 1977 he became a youth coach for long and triple jump athletes. At the demise of the GDR he lost this position, and later joined the state sports association in the state of Brandenburg.[3] At present he is the honorary jumping coach at SC Potsdam. He resides in Stahnsdorf near Potsdam.
