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Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Ataxia
Origin of Impairment
Acquired
Classification
F36
Further personal information
Residence
Germany
Languages
English, German, Italian
Higher education
Education, Medicine - Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich: Germany
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She began competing in able-bodied javelin at age 11 in Munich, Germany. She took up Para athletics in 2008.
Why this sport?
After recovering from her treatment, she began training in a wheelchair. She then established a Para athletics section in her home club. "After I got ataxia, I saw the Paralympic Games in Beijing and thought it would be good for my physical development to start with the sport again."
Club / Team
BSG Bad Oeynhausen : Germany
Name of coach
Marion Peters [national]; Alexander Holstein [club, national], GER
International debut
Year
2011
Competing for
Germany
Tournament
World Championships
Location
Christchurch, NZL
General interest
Nicknames
Tiger (Athlete, 05 Jul 2010)
Hobbies
Travelling, spending time with her cats, trains. (Athlete, 19 Nov 2019)
Memorable sporting achievement
Being able to take part in standing throwing events since 2015. (Athlete, 19 Nov 2019)
Most influential person in career
Her first coach Joachim Lipske. (Athlete, 19 Nov 2019)
Hero / Idol
German shot putter Nadine Kleinert. (Athlete, 19 Nov 2019)
Injuries
In 2019 she injured her left shoulder at a training camp in Portugal. She had surgery and began a rehabilitation programme in May 2019. (birgitkober.de, 23 Jun 2019; Facebook page, 31 May 2019)
She injured her right hand in April 2018 and had to wear a protective orthosis for two months. (birgitkober.de, 01 Apr 2018)
She injured her arm in January 2016. (hallo-muenchen.de, 21 Jan 2016)
Health problems meant she was unable to compete at the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. (Facebook profile, 23 May 2016)
She injured her right hand in April 2018 and had to wear a protective orthosis for two months. (birgitkober.de, 01 Apr 2018)
She injured her arm in January 2016. (hallo-muenchen.de, 21 Jan 2016)
Health problems meant she was unable to compete at the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. (Facebook profile, 23 May 2016)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"I always try to give my best, be fair in competition and life, and have fun while coaching and throwing." (Athlete, 09 Feb 2011)
Awards and honours
In 2019 she received a sporting achievement award from the city of Munich, Germany. (ru.muenchen.de, 19 Mar 2019)
In 2012 and 2016 she was awarded the Silver Laurel Leaf for her achievements at the Paralympic Games. (bundespraesident.de, 01 Nov 2016, 07 Nov 2012)
She was named the 2012 Female Athlete of the Year by German newspaper Abendzeitung Munich. (abendzeitung-muenchen.de, 15 Jan 2013)
She was named the 2012 German Sportswoman with an Impairment of the Year in Cologne, Germany. (bayer.de, 25 Nov 2012)
In 2012 and 2016 she was awarded the Silver Laurel Leaf for her achievements at the Paralympic Games. (bundespraesident.de, 01 Nov 2016, 07 Nov 2012)
She was named the 2012 Female Athlete of the Year by German newspaper Abendzeitung Munich. (abendzeitung-muenchen.de, 15 Jan 2013)
She was named the 2012 German Sportswoman with an Impairment of the Year in Cologne, Germany. (bayer.de, 25 Nov 2012)
Ambitions
To win a gold medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (hallo-muenchen.de, 13 Mar 2019)
Impairment
She has ataxia as the result of an error in her medical treatment in 2007. She has also had epilepsy since her youth. (birgitkober.de, 01 Aug 2015)
Other information
EYE CONDITION
In August 2019 she developed an optic nerve inflammation in her left eye. "I have not seen so well since August last year [speaking in 2020]. Of course, this brings with it various changes in my life. I also have to work my way through a few things in my everyday life, which is not so easy." (birgitkober.de, 07 Feb 2020; rtl.de, 14 Nov 2019; tellerreport.com, 12 Nov 2019; drs.org, 12 Nov 2019)
A TASTE OF JAPAN
In July 2019 she visited Japan on an invitational training camp. "After having gained so many impressions of Japan, of course, the anticipation is even greater, but I am also very pleased that this intense experience will certainly accompany me into the training routine. What I find most stressful is that you only inhale hot air [while training in Osaka]. That drives the pulse extremely high." (birgitkober.de, 27 Aug 2019, 06 Aug 2019)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She serves as an ambassador for the Red Cross in the state of Bavaria, Germany. (Facebook profile, 13 Mar 2020)
OTHER STUDIES
She has studied pedagogy at the University of Essen in Germany. (Athlete, 19 Nov 2019)
In August 2019 she developed an optic nerve inflammation in her left eye. "I have not seen so well since August last year [speaking in 2020]. Of course, this brings with it various changes in my life. I also have to work my way through a few things in my everyday life, which is not so easy." (birgitkober.de, 07 Feb 2020; rtl.de, 14 Nov 2019; tellerreport.com, 12 Nov 2019; drs.org, 12 Nov 2019)
A TASTE OF JAPAN
In July 2019 she visited Japan on an invitational training camp. "After having gained so many impressions of Japan, of course, the anticipation is even greater, but I am also very pleased that this intense experience will certainly accompany me into the training routine. What I find most stressful is that you only inhale hot air [while training in Osaka]. That drives the pulse extremely high." (birgitkober.de, 27 Aug 2019, 06 Aug 2019)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She serves as an ambassador for the Red Cross in the state of Bavaria, Germany. (Facebook profile, 13 Mar 2020)
OTHER STUDIES
She has studied pedagogy at the University of Essen in Germany. (Athlete, 19 Nov 2019)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Shot Put F32-34 | Final | 2011-01-23 | 1 | |
| Women's Javelin F33/34/52/53 | Final | 2011-01-28 | 1 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Javelin F52/53/33/34 | Final Round | 2012-09-03 | 1 | |
| Women's Shot Put F32-34 | Final Round | 2012-09-06 | 1 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Javelin F33/34 | Final 1 | 2013-07-23 | 1 | |
| Women's Shot Put F32-34 | Final 1 | 2013-07-26 | 1 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Shot Put F36 | Final Round | 2016-09-17 | 1 |