article by Nicholas Pucci
Sometimes it really pays to wait to finally seize the fleeting moment. Take, for example, Annegret Richter, West German sprinterborn Irrgang in Dortmund on 13 October 1950, who bravely battled with her cousins during the 1970s “valkyries” of East Germany, too often coming out defeated, before take a tasty revenge on the most important occasion. Which when it comes to athletics, can only be the Olympics.
Highlighted with the bronze over 60 meters at the European Indoor Championships in Sofia in 1971 behind Renate Stecher and the French Sylviane Telliez, at the next summer continental event Richter is selected for the 4×100 relay only, which wins the gold in 43″28, just preceding the “cousinsof East Germany.
Forced to face the overwhelming power of the East German Renate Stecher, who precedes her by 0.03 cents (6.25 to 6.28) over 50 meters at the 1972 European Indoor Championships in GrenobleRichter, who in the meantime is married to the hurdler Manfred Richter from whom she inherits the surname, she placed no better than fifth in the 100m final at the 1972 Munich Olympicswon by Stecher with the world record of 11″07, but providing its important contribution in the surprising success of the West German relay on rivals from the Eastalso equaling the world record with 42″81.
After a bronze and a silver, Richter finally manages to win the gold medal at the European Indoor Championships in Rotterdam in 1973, making the 60m final her own in 7″27, while the following year, at the continental event in Gothenburg 1974, she placed seventh in the final which saw the peremptory return of Stecher, gold in 7″16, an eastern German who however had to give up on the 100 meters at the European Championships in Rome in 1974preceded (11″13 to 11″23) by the Polish Irena Szewinska, in the race in which Richter arrives no better than fifth in 11″36, and then make his silver with the 4 × 100 relaythis time not missed by the girls of East Germany.
Therefore presented at the 1976 Montreal Games not as the main favorite for the gold medalthe 25-year-old West German on the other hand, the lot of the 100m finalists surprises, winning the victory in an arrival that sees her precede Stecher by 0.05 cents (11.08 to 11.13) for the sweetest of revengesto then do well even on the double distance, touching a second sensational victory that escapes her by only 0″02 cents (22″37 to 22″39) compared to the other East German Bärbel Eckert-Wöckelbut with the satisfaction of still preceding Stecher, and therefore seize the silver again with the 4×100 relayjust 0.04 cents (42.55 to 42.59) from the East German quartet.
Yeah, that’s the right thing to say, it is enough to know how to wait… that sooner or later the right opportunity will arrive.
