Karin Enke-Kania

East Germany's Karin Enke was initially a leading figure skater, but she later became a champion speed skater and is one of the very few athletes to have reached world class in both disciplines. As she felt that chances for improvement on her 9th place in the 1977 European Figure Skating Championships were limited, she turned to speed skating with considerable success. Her total of eight medals (three gold, four silver, one bronze) between 1980 and 1988 remains an Olympic record for speed skating (since equalled by Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann) and her record at the World Championships was even more impressive. She won the sprint title a record six times (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987) and her five victories in the allround event were also a record for the Championships, even though she missed the 1985 Championships because of pregnancy. After marriages she competed both as Karin Busch and later as Karin Kania.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.24 (1988); 1000 – 1:17.70 (1988); 1500 – 1:59.30 (1986); 3000 – 4:17.76 (1988); 5000 – 7:39.82 (1986).