Halina Sylwia Górecka (née Richter, later Herrmann; born 4 February 1938) is a retired Polish and German sprinter. At the Summer Olympics she competed for Poland in 1956, 1960 and 1964 and for West Germany in 1968. She won a bronze and a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay in 1960 and 1964, respectively. The Polish team set a world record in the 1964 final, but it was annulled after one teammate, Ewa Kłobukowska, failed a gender test in 1967.Halina Richter-Górecka-Herrmann. sports-reference.comAthletics at the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games: Women's 4 × 100 metres Relay. sports-reference.com
In 1964 Górecka became a double champion of Poland: in 100 m and 200 m, adding to her earlier Polish title in the 4 × 100 m relay in 1954. In 1965, at an international meet in Dortmund, she defected to West Germany and went to Cologne to a friend Reinhold Herrmann. They married in 1966. Her appearance for West Germany at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City did not result in any medals. In Germany Górecka worked as an office clerk. In 2012 her Olympic gold medal was stolen from her apartment.
International competitions Representing 1955World Festival of Youth and StudentsWarsaw, Poland3rd4 × 100 m relay47.41956Olympic GamesMelbourne, Australia22nd (h)100 m12.38 (w)8th (h)4 × 100 m relay46.581960Olympic GamesRome, Italy8th (sf)100 m11.9310th (h)200 m24.3113rd4 × 100 m relay45.191962European ChampionshipsBelgrade, Yugoslavia10th (sf)100 m12.01964Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan7th100 m11.831st4 × 100 m relay43.6Representing 1968Olympic GamesMexico City, Mexico32nd (h)100 m11.8832nd (h)200 m24.62 1Did not start in the semifinal
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