From hobby to world fame. The doctor recommended my mother that she send me to swim in order to get the problems with my rapid growth under control. I quickly liked the wet element and took part in first competitions.
Because of my swimming style in butterfly and my arm span of 2.13 meters at a height of 2.01 meters, in 1983 a journalist from the French sports daily L'Equipe gave me the nickname Albatros. This name got famous during the Olympic Games 1984 in Los Angeles.
Overall from 1981 until 1991, my record is: 3 Olympic Gold Medals, 5 World Championships, 13 European Championships and a total of 38 medals at international championships. I´m proud member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame and German Sports Hall of Fame.
