Kornelia Ender

Biography

Kornelia Ender was the dominant female sprinter of the 1970s, winning four gold medals at the 1976 Montreal Olympics at just 17. She held 23 world records across her career, won 8 Olympic medals across two Games, and dominated both freestyle and butterfly. Three individual golds at a single Olympics plus records that stood for years — in the pool, nobody could touch her. The shadow of East Germany's state-sponsored doping program hangs over her legacy, as it does for all GDR swimmers of that era, though Ender has maintained she was unaware of any systematic program.

Career Highlights

• 4 Olympic gold medals
• 8 Olympic medals total (1972-1976)
• 23 world records
• 3 individual golds at single Olympics
• 8 World Championship golds

Learn More