Photo: Ulrich Haessler / CC BY-SA 3.0 de (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Marita Koch occupies a strange, fascinating place in sports history for me. Her 400 metres world record of 47.60, set in 1985, still stands more than four decades later, which is almost unbelievable in modern athletics. The era she competed in invites legitimate questions, and I do not wave those away. But the raw speed she displayed on the track was undeniably real. I find myself genuinely conflicted about whether I want that record finally broken or preserved as a monument to a vanished era. Either way, her name remains impossible to ignore in any honest discussion of sprinting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Marita Koch
- Name (Japanese)
- マリタ・コッホ
- Reading
- まりた・こっほ
- Born
- February 18, 1957 (age 69)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Rooster
- Origin
- Wismar, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 171 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- sprinter / athletics competitor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Patriotic Order of Merit in Gold
- Grand Star of People's Friendship
- 1985 East German Sportspersonality of the Year
- 1983 East German Sportspersonality of the Year
- 1982 East German Sportspersonality of the Year
- 1979 East German Sportspersonality of the Year
- 1978 East German Sportspersonality of the Year
- Patriotic Order of Merit in Silver
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Marita Koch born?
Born February 18, 1957 (age 69).
Where is Marita Koch from?
Marita Koch is from Wismar, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
What does Marita Koch do?
Marita Koch works as sprinter, athletics competitor.
How tall is Marita Koch?
Marita Koch is 171 cm.
Sprinter — see all → · Athletics competitor — see all → · More people from Germany →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.