Britta Heidemann

Hobbies

Learning languages, travelling, reading and playing the organ [she says her favourite song to play is 'Yesterday' by the Beatles]. (britta-heidemann.de, 27 Jul 2011)

Occupation

Athlete, Author, Coach, Consultant, Motivational Speaker

Education

Cultural Studies - Chinese, Environmental Studies, Germany

Family

Her life partner: Torsten Weber

Language(s) spoken

English, German, Mandarin

Club name

TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Leverkusen, GER

Coach

Manfred Kaspar [national] (sportschau.de, 19 Sep 2011)

Sporting relatives

She was the Cologne champion for high jump and 800m as a student in 1993.In 1994 she was the West German student champion in swimming. She also competed in modern pentathlon at national and world youth level. (britta-heidemann.de, 27 Sep 2011)

Additional information

Start of sporting career
Her first contact with fencing was at a fencing trial course in 1995. She started with foil and then moved to epee in 1997 at the same time competing in pentathlon. She stopped pentathlon to focus solely on epee in 2000. (britta-heidemann.de, 27 Sep 2011)

Most memorable sporting achievement
Winning gold in individual epee at the 2007 World Championship in St Petersburg, Russia. (britta-heidemann.de, 27 Jul 2008)

Most influential person in career
Her parents (focus.de, 11 Aug 2008)

Awards
In 2011 she was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the EU-China youth exchange for the EU-China Year of Youth, as well as EU ambassador for the campaign "Youth Movement" in Germany. (sportmuseum.de, 01 Oct 2011)

From 2007 to 2009 she was the first ever fencer to hold Olympic, world and European titles at the same time. She also held the German national championship during this period, making her the only German to hold all four. (zeit.de, 27 Sep 2011)

General
RETIREMENT AND FUTURE PLANS
She said she was not yet sure whether she would retire after the London 2012 Olympic Games: "I have gained experience as a management consultant, motivational coach, and as an author. I like this wide spectrum of variety. Which of these activities I will do in the future, I do not know yet. Sometimes it is difficult, being open to so many interesting options. I am now at a crossroads and will have to decide which path to take. Life is like fencing, it's important to know when to make a decision and attack. I've succeeded usually very well in fencing, and so far in life fairly well." (zeit.de, 27 Sep 2011)

BOOK
In 2011 she authored a book "Success is a Matter of Attitude [What Fencing Can Teach You About Life]" and says it's about motivation, mental strength, coping with pressure, frustration and tolerance. (dvag-teamblog.de, 14 Sep 2011)

CHINA CONNECTION
She has a strong connection to China and has travelled there over 20 times. She spent three months there as a student in 1993, and in 2001 did an internship at Bayer Beijing. She enrolled in Chinese Studies at university in 2001 and in 2008/09 was writing her diploma thesis on Chinese environmental law. She speaks fluent Mandarin, and her personal website is also available in the language. She cites Chinese green tea from Yunnan as her "feel-good elixir" and she won her Olympic gold medal in Beijing. In 2011 She was appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for the EU-China Year of the Youth, for which she accompanies political and business delegation to China as a cultural, sports and economic ambassador.(britta-heidemann.de, 27 Sep 2011; sportmuseum.de, 01 Oct 2011; 2011euchinayouth.eu, 01 Oct 2011)

RAUNCHY SHOOT
She posed for German Playboy in 2004. (soccernet.espn.go.com, 29 May 2009)

Previous Olympics

Beijing 2008, Athens 2004