Claudia Pechstein won five Olympic gold medals in speed skating, was accused of doping – and fought a bitter battle with her rival Anni Friesinger-Postma for years. On the ice, but also off it. It still resonates today.
It was an image that went around the world. Salt Lake City, Utah Olympic Oval, February 23, 2002. Claudia Pechstein has just won her fourth Olympic gold in the 5000 meters in speed skating, the day after her 30th birthday, the second at these Games after the 3000 meters.
On the lap of honor she suddenly puts on this tousled thing: a wig in black, red and gold, the German national colors. “I was supposed to wear it after the first gold. But I left it at home because I’m superstitious. After winning the 3000 meters, my manager Ralf Grengel asked where the wig was. He then had it flown in for the 5000,” Pechstein told “Sport Bild” almost 24 years later.
Today the wig can be admired in the House of German History in Bonn. But that’s not the only reason why this gold for the Berliner is not comparable to any other of her four other Olympic victories. “5000 meters with a world record, and that after the 3000 meters, which I also won with a world record, that was very special.”
“We’ve never had coffee together,” says Pechstein
Also because arch-rival Anni Friesinger-Postma (48) only came sixth. “Of course Anni congratulated. We always did that.” Although both of them were in the middle of the famous bitching row at the time. Two top stars who couldn’t smell each other because one turned on the other, but mostly through the public and not directly. “The whole thing wasn’t staged. The two of us really didn’t like each other. We have nothing to do with each other. She doesn’t need it – and neither do I,” Friesinger told “Sport Bild” a few weeks ago.
Pechstein, now 53 years old: “We’ve never had coffee together, but we’ve always respected each other. At the 2024 World Cup in Inzell, she came into the VIP room but didn’t look at me, which I thought was a shame. We’re adults, and you could say hello there too. That’s how I was brought up.”
If she has her way, the bitching quarrel will be over. “Anni used to want to end it. I said, ‘Let’s move on.’ (laughs) We were always in the media because of the controversy, and over ten million people watched the 5000 meters on TV. That was beneficial for the sport and for our sponsors.”
Next September Pechstein will celebrate her big farewell in Berlin. With Annie? “No,” says Friesinger-Postma. “This is her evening. She should enjoy it. I wish her only the best.” What does Pechstein mean? “That’s nice of her. I’ll definitely enjoy the day. I’m already really looking forward to it.”
So in 2002 they both celebrated their own gold party. Friesinger-Postma won the 1500 meters.
Four years later they both pulled themselves together. In Turin, Daniela Anschütz-Thoms (51) won gold in the team. Pechstein’s fifth Olympic victory. Until the toboggan trio Natalie Geisenberger (37), Tobias Wendl (38) and Tobias Arlt (38) trumped her in Beijing 2022 with their sixth gold medals each, she was Germany’s most successful winter Olympian.
“It’s quite possible that I still would be if the 2010 Games in Vancouver hadn’t been stolen from me.” What remains are the 274 podium finishes of her career – probably impossible to top in winter sports worldwide. As did eight participations in the Winter Olympics, which no woman other than her managed to do. “Such a unique selling point is definitely something special.”
By the way, it’s quite possible that there will be more Olympic medals in the family at some point. Niece Nele wants to follow in her aunt’s footsteps. “She is 14 years old and at the sports school in Berlin, is the German champion in the 500 meters and in the mass start in her age group. But I’m not putting any pressure on her,” says Pechstein. She doesn’t train them herself, but is currently more of an advisor. “I always tell her: You can’t lose the fun.” But Pechstein lost it in 2009. For a long 16 years.
At the World Cup in Hamar, her red blood cell count was too high. An indication of blood doping. A two-year ban followed. But Pechstein fought back through all instances. She never tested positive in over 700 checks, but the suspension remained. Finally, the reason for the values was found: an inherited blood anomaly in her father was the cause. But even that couldn’t appease the other side. Only after the Federal Constitutional Court declared her claim for damages against the world association ISU admissible was Pechstein finally rehabilitated and compensated in February 2025.
“I wanted to run until the case was over. But I didn’t think it would take this long,” she says. “I’m glad that I had so much support from my partner Matthias and my family, because you can’t do it alone.” Her friend, the entrepreneur Matthias Große (58), is now president of the German speed skating and short track association.
When she was allowed to run again, she didn’t get the tenth Olympic medal she longed for, but she was still successful with another eight European Championship and World Championship medals. For Pechstein himself, this is probably her greatest achievement: “The fact that I was able to achieve halfway decent performance with this backpack and that I was able to win two World Cup victories at the age of 45 is simply amazing.”
Now Pechstein is passing on her sporting experience to the next generation and is staying involved in the sport. In Inzell she works as a federal base trainer for 17 to 21 year olds. “The position has been approved, but I don’t get the so-called ‘sports professional vote’. That means the Federal Ministry of the Interior would have to pay for the position, but it doesn’t. I can’t understand that,” says the six-time world champion.
And so she has a new fight on a new front and is as direct as usual: “As long as the DOSB and the ministry don’t do their homework, we don’t need to talk about a place among the five best sports nations by 2035. The DOSB has to think in a sporting way again and support the coaches. They don’t earn enough – that has to become much more attractive.”
Rejected three offers from Playboy
Another dilemma according to Pechstein: “The first thing that is canceled in schools is sport. No more grades, what’s the point? We also survived the censorship.”
The “problems” from around 2002 were more of a funny nature. This is how Playboy wanted to photograph her. “They asked three times. But I always refused, even though they offered more each time. But I didn’t need that.” Which underlines her attitude: “I should be on ‘Celebrity Shopping Queen’. But I hate shopping. So why should I do it on TV?”
Pechstein could tell you so much more. She has already written a book (“Of Gold and Blood”), ventured into track cycling and ran for the CDU in the federal election in 2021. Sounds like a second book. Pechstein: “And that’s coming too, as is a film.” There are enough stories…
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