Writing Olympic history right from the start
In 1976 Andrea Mitscherlich, earned a silver medal in the 3,000m only 2½ months after her fifteenth birthday to become the youngest female athlete ever to win a medal in an individual event at the Winter Olympics.
The third medal
She competed in the Olympics again in 1980, but without medal success. However, in 1984 she won the 3,000m. Although this made her an Olympic champion, it is her silver medals that earned Schöne a special place in the record books. In addition to the one she won in 1976, she added two more, at 1,500m and 1,000m, in 1984.
One out of three
At the 1988 Winter Olympics, she broke the 3,000m world record by 4.67 seconds and the 5,000m world record by 3.24 seconds, but in both races she was beaten by Yvonne van Gennip. Andrea, who also earned a bronze medal in the 1988 1,000m, is one of only three winter athletes in any sport to win five silver medals.