Janet Evans 400 free in the1988 Olympics - She owns the last 100 meters

Note that that she has just a 2-beat kick. Kate Ziegler uses a two-beat kick as well save for the last 100 where she just tears into it and kicks all out.

Kristin Otto won six gold medals in swimming for East Germany at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul - Some say she knowingly doped but I am not so sure.

I rarely post doping stories because I prefer to chronicle positive accomplishments rather than scandalous ones. When I do post them it is usually when I am in a bad mood or when it is about the former East German government.

This doping story comes out of the former communist nation once known as the German Democratic Republic. The GDR wasn't very democratic, nor very fun. It was a separate Germany unto itself existing as a puppet state for the former Soviet Union.

During it's existence, it was at odds with the Federal Republic of Germany until unification in 1990 to become one Germany under the FRG flag. (I bet only 40% of America knows that fact.)

It is a accomplished fact, or fait accompli if I am trying to sound smart; (which I am not), that the German Democratic Government systematically doped athletes without their knowledge or permission.

Accusations are flying that 6 time gold medalist, Kristin Otto, was doped when she won her numerous medals in Seoul, Korea in 1988. From the article:

"...Kristin Otto gave a clear statement in a letter to our superintendent in 2000 that she never knowingly or willingly doped," ZDF editor-in-chief Nikolaus Brender said. "As long as there is no evidence on the table, we stand by her." [Link]

I accept her story and feel none of her medals should be taken away but rather qualified and her records removed if a sample validates this accusation. This is not going to happen so presume her innocent.

Kirsten, if you are out there, send us a better photo.

Erik Hochstein commented:

I don't even know where to start on this one: How about this - you could not be any more wrong! {O_o}

I think it's very well documented that:

Every single East-German athlete that won medals was doped ( I believe the exception was something like figure skating.)

From talking to the athletes that defected; (we had one on the team and afterwards), they ALL KNEW what was going on.

They did have some choice in the matter, but only to a small degree. The girls were taken to the sports schools at such a young age that there was little they could do.

Having Kristin Otto as a sports commentator is an embarrassment to all sports -- I would for sure refuse to be interviewed by her until she comes "clean".

Well that shows me!!!

Swim homework assignment for the next few weeks

1) Go to Erik Hochstein's sprint workout on Sundays at LMU. (Erik is a former Olympian from Germany who won the bronze medal in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay at the 1988 Summer Olympics. I was once swimming with him at a workout at Santa Monica where we did a 200 as part of the main set; Erik was swimming in the fastest lane and I was like 4 lanes down from him, he swam a 1:46 and I did a 2:24. He lapped everybody in the whole pool.)

2) Swim at Santa Monica on Wednesdays with fins to loosen up and improve my ankle flexibility.

3) Push-ups and crunches on workout-free days and stretching every day to gain more shoulder and hamstring flexibility.

4) Do a freestyle technique clinic with Bonnie or Jamie to check out my stroke. (When I sprint I have a tendency to be choppy.)

5) Swim more 100s for time and focus on pacing.

6) Start swimming 5 days a week rather than 3-5