Heike Drechsler-Bryggare, the 60-year-old athletics legend, is studying Finnish.
– Right now I don’t miss Finland, but in the future I would like to spend more time there. The goal is to learn the Finnish language, because it helps with rooting. So far, I have only taken baby steps in studying, laughs the athletics legend Heike Drechsler-Bryggare and slips in a few words of Finnish.
The interview will be conducted remotely, when Finland in November shows its worst sides.
– Finland has become a very close place to me. When I’m in Germany, I miss Finland. The summer time there is so wonderful: nature, water bodies and light, comments the woman from her home in Berlin.
Finland entered the German’s life in the middle of the last decade through a relationship. Married Arto Bryggare and Heike Drechsler-Bryggare tied the knot in 2019.
Three homes
Germans appreciate sports legends. Marlies Göhr (left), Marita Koch and Heike Drechsler-Bryggare received thunderous applause in connection with the athletics games in Dresden in August. PDO
The couple lives a life of three homes in Berlin, Helsinki and a summer apartment in Luumäki. The main base is in Germany because of Drechsler-Bryggare’s work.
– We still haven’t decided where we will settle down after my career. In the near future, I would like Finland to go to Lapland. I love skiing.
In about ten years, the German has paid attention to the mental landscape of Finns.
– People don’t talk much. You could say that many Finns are introverts. When I had a little Christmas, people didn’t say anything at all. They needed more mulled wine to make it work, Drechsler-Bryggare smiles.
– When you get to know Finns better and your heart opens, they are great guys, he adds.
A dog as the apple of an eye
Heike and Arto have been married since 2019. PASI LEISMA
The East German native’s amazing athletics career ended in 2004. Since then, he has worked for the pension insurance company Barmer.
– I go around a lot in different companies talking about well-being and life management: how you eat, sleep and move. When you live as you speak, people believe.
Drechsler-Bryggare could be characterized as a lifestyle mover. He runs, cycles, skis and walks the dog.
Labrador retriever Oscar is the baby of the food court, who during the interview jumps into the arms of both his mistress and his master.
– My health is good. I couldn’t live without exercise, says Drechsler-Bryggare.
– The other day I had to sit in the car for seven hours. As a counterweight to the numbing driving, I had to get moving, he specifies.
Drechsler-Bryggare has a son born in 1989 from his previous union Tony.
Polarization
In 2018, at the European Championships in Berlin, the legend was the guardian of the sandbox. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
It’s been 35 years since the Berlin Wall came down. Drechsler-Bryggare represented both East Germany and United Germany in his sports career.
Some have longed for the GDR. This has been seen, for example, in the polarization of German politics.
Drechsler-Bryggare states that “we have big problems in politics”, but she does not want to analyze in more detail what kind of country Germany is to live in.
– I can talk about the challenges of sports.
They are very similar to those in Finland. There is a shortage of coaches, money and volunteers, and the so-called system is not what it used to be. This can be seen, among other things, in the depletion of prestigious medals in athletics.
– It was thought that after the reunification of Germany, 1+1=2, but it didn’t turn out that way. The decision-makers forgot that more money and coaches are needed.
The strengths of sports are also the same as in Finland.
– In Finland, hockey has good resources, in Germany, soccer. When an individual athlete makes it to prestigious competition medals, financial support is guaranteed.
Gold as a veteran
The long jump gold at the age of 35 in Sydney 2000 is the best achievement of the career. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
Drechsler-Bryggare won no less than 16 prestigious outdoor race medals. Eleven came from the long jump and five from the sprint. He considers himself a jumper.
– The biggest disappointment of my career was the Olympic Games in Atlanta 1996. There were a lot of changes that year, and I wasn’t mentally strong.
The 1992 Olympic gold medalist was unable to defend his title due to health problems.
– I learned a lot about myself. Without adversity, Sydney would not have gone so well.
Drechsler-Bryggare considers the 2000 Olympic gold to be the best moment of her career. At the age of 35, he jumped 699 centimeters in Australia. The headwind was a meter per second. Italian Fiona May bowed with seven and Russia Tatjana Kotova by sixteen centimeters.
– Of course I hoped for gold, but I was realistic. I thought the younger ones were better. The glory after the gold medal was more than a surprise.
The personal record 748, created in 1988 and 1992, is the third highest result on the world’s all-time list.
Big consumption of sports
Olympic gold in Australia came with a result of 699 centimeters. EPA / AOP
Drechsler-Bryggare follows elite sports very intensively and is an omnivore.
– It has to be, because Arto follows all TV sports, starting with snooker.
Arto Bryggare works as Iltalehti’s athletics expert and Heike Drechsler-Bryggare has been a guest expert in 2022–23.
On Monday, December 16, Drechsler-Bryggare turns 60. The party is celebrated with close friends in Berlin.
– I like my work and the current phase of my life. Although everyday life is sometimes stressful, it is not time to retire yet.
Heike’s medals
Olympics
Gold Barcelona 1992, length
Gold Sydney 2000, length
Silver Seoul 1988, length
Bronze Seoul 1988, 100 m
Bronze Seoul 1988, 200 m
The World Cup
Gold Helsinki 1983, length
Gold Stuttgart 1993, length
Silver Rome 1987, 100 m
Silver Tokyo 1991, length
Bronze Rome 1987, length
Bronze Tokyo 1991, 4 × 100 m
European Championships
Gold Stuttgart 1986, 200 m
Gold Stuttgart 1986, length
Gold Split 1990, length
Gold Helsinki 1994, length
Gold Budapest 1998, length