Jana Sorgers

Jana Sorgers (married name Jana Sorgers-Rau, born 4 August 1967) is a German rower who was a dominant sculler of her time, starting her career for the East German rowing team and continuing after the German reunification for the combined Germany for a few more years. Between 1986 and 1996, she won two Olympic gold medals, seven world championship titles, and nine national titles. Upon the conclusion of her successful career, she was awarded the Thomas Keller Medal by the International Rowing Federation (FISA) – the highest honour in rowing.

Jana Sorgers

Personal information
Born	4 August 1967 Neubrandenburg
Height	182 cm (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight	77 kg (170 lb)[2]
Spouse(s)	Oliver Rau
Sport
Sport	Rowing
Club	SC Dynamo Berlin SG Dynamo Potsdam
Medal record Women's rowing Representing  East Germany Olympic Games 1988 Seoul Quadruple sculls World Rowing Championships 1986 Nottingham Quadruple sculls 1987 Copenhagen Quadruple sculls 1989 Bled Double sculls 1990 Tasmania Quadruple sculls Representing  Germany Olympic Games 1996 Atlanta Quadruple sculls World Rowing Championships 1991 Wien Quadruple sculls 1994 Indianapolis Quadruple sculls 1995 Tampere Quadruple sculls

Rowing career

Representing East Germany

Sorgers was born in 1967 in Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which at the time belonged to East Germany.[2] She went to school in Pragsdorf where she was chosen for the rowing programme.[3] From early on in her rowing career, Sorgers was a sculler.[4] Her first club was Dynamo Neubrandenburg-Mitte and in 1981, she transferred to SC Dynamo Berlin. In 1982, she won the national junior championships in quad scull.[1] Her first notable success came at the 1983 Spartakiad where she won gold in the double scull event partnered with Sybille Schmidt.[4][5] At the 1984 World Rowing Junior Championships in Jönköping, Sweden, she became junior world champion in the coxed quad scull alongside Judith Zeidler.[6] At the 1985 World Rowing Junior Championships in Brandenburg an der Havel, East Germany, she became junior world champion in the double scull partnered with Claudia Krüger with whom she had rowed since the beginning of the year;[7] they dominated the final from the start and were more than 12 seconds ahead of the silver medallists.[8]

Having won her second junior world championship title, Sorgers proclaimed that her biggest wish was to make it into the senior national team. At the beginning of the next season, she was chosen by chief women's coach Jürgen Gröbler for the team.[9] Having just turned 19—the second-youngest on the East German team with Andreas Hajek a few months younger—she won her first senior world championship title at the 1986 World Rowing Championships in Nottingham in the United Kingdom in the quad scull alongside Kerstin Pieloth, Birgit Peter and Kerstin Hinze.[9][10] In October 1986, she was awarded a Patriotic Order of Merit in gold (first class) for her sporting success.[11] The team repeated this success at the 1987 World Rowing Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, with Jutta Hampe having replaced Hinze and despite Hampe having caught a crab early in the final.[12][13][14]

In January 1988, Sorgers was awarded the sports title "Honored Master of Sports".[15] At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, the women from East Germany dominated the rowing competition by winning five of the six events. Sorgers won gold with the quad scull, alongside Kerstin Förster (née Pieloth), Kristina Mundt and Beate Schramm. Of the team of 23 female rowers, only two rowers did not win a medal – the coxless pair came fourth.[16][17] In November 1988, Sorgers was awarded a Patriotic Order of Merit in gold (first class); this was the second time that she received this award.[18]

For the 1989 rowing season, Sorgers teamed up with Schramm in a double scull. Early in the rowing season, they successfully competed against a team made of Jutta Behrendt (née Hampe) and Sybille Schmidt (Sorger's 1983 double scull partner).[19] Sorgers and Schramm won the 1989 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Yugoslavia.[20] For the 1990 rowing season, Sorgers was back in a quad with Schmidt, Kerstin Köppen and Krüger.[21] This crew went to Tasmania in Australia for the 1990 World Rowing Championships where they became world champions. This was the last appearance of the East German national rowing team as the German reunification had happened a month earlier; the two German rowing federations were about to merge, too.

Representing Germany

The 1991 rowing season started with a national regatta for the small boat classes in Wedau where Sorgers competed in single scull and was beaten into second place by Schramm.[22] A month later, an international regatta was held at the same venue where Sorgers teamed up with Sybille Schmidt in the double scull; they won their boat class by a margin of almost 8  seconds.[23] The intention of the rowing officials had always been for Sorgers and Schmidt to be part of a quad scull for 1991 and after further qualification races, the 1990 team was reassembled, with Jana Thieme nearly having replaced Krüger.[24] At the 1991 World Rowing Championships in Vienna, Austria, the quad scullers defended their world championship title.[25]

In the 1992 season, Sorgers had a performance low.[4] She did attend a three-week Olympic training camp in Mexico[26] but then did not make the 1992 national team selection. She thus missed out qualification for the 1992 Summer Olympics.[27] In 1993, Sorgers changed club and moved to SG Dynamo Potsdam but did not make it back into the national team.[4] In December 1993, Sorgers was one of forty-five athletes to be awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt ("Silver Laurel Leaf"), the highest sports award in Germany.[28]

Sorgers made a comeback in the 1994 season. She made it back into the national team and with the quad scull, she won her sixth world championship title at the 1994 World Rowing Championships in Indianapolis, United States. The other team members that year were Mundt, Katrin Rutschow, and Kerstin Köppen-Kosbab.[29] At the 1995 World Rowing Championships in Tampere, Finland, the quad scull defended its championship title, with Thieme having replaced Mundt.[29]

Sorgers retired after winning a final gold medal in quad scull with Rutschow, Köppen, and Kathrin Boron at the 1996 Summer Olympics.[30][31] After her retirement, she was awarded the Thomas Keller Medal.

National championships

In the GDR, Sorgers won her first national title in 1986 in the quad scull. In 1988, she became national champion in both the double and the quad scull. In 1989, she retained her title in the double scull. In 1990, she won her final East German title with the quad scull.[32][33]

After the reunification, Sorgers won four national titles in quad scull: in 1991, 1994, 1995, and 1996.[34]

Life outside rowing

Sorgers trained as a medical technical assistant from 1984.[5] In 1991, she trained to become a beautician.[35]

She married rower Oliver Rau[36] some time after her retirement from competitive rowing and has since been known as Jana Sorgers-Rau.[37]

The couple have twin daughters (born c. 2000)[37] and for many years, they lived in Bremen. Oliver Rau worked for sports club SV Werder Bremen from 1996 until 2017.[38][39] He now works for Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe and they live in Frankfurt.[39]

References

1. "Jana Sorgers zweiter Streich" [Jana Sorgers' second trick]. Neue Zeit (in German). 41 (188). 13 August 1985. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jana Sorgers". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
3. Otto, Karl-Heinz (11 September 1989). "Eine souveräne Gold -Tour" [A sovereign gold tour]. Neue Zeit (in German). 45 (214). p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
4. Kluge, Volker (2004). "Sorger, Jana". Das große Lexikon der DDR-Sportler: Die 1000 erfolgreichsten und populärsten Sportlerinnen und Sportler aus der DDR, ihre Erfolge, Medaillen und Biographien [The big lexicon of the GDR athletes: The 1000 most successful and popular athletes from the GDR, their successes, medals and biographies.] (in German). Berlin: Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag. pp. 537f. ISBN 3-89602-538-4.
5. "Einige Fragen an: Jana Sorgers" [Some questions to: Jana Sorgers]. Neues Deutschland (in German). 40 (187). 12 August 1985. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
6. "(JW4x+) Junior Women's Coxed Quadruple Sculls – Final". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
7. "(JW2x+) Junior Women's Double Sculls – Final". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
8. "DDR-Nachwuchs siegte in sieben von 14 Finals" [GDR youngsters won in seven of 14 finals]. Neues Deutschland (in German). 40 (187). 12 August 1985. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
9. "Jüngste in den Booten machten ihre Sache gut" [Youngest in the boats did a good job]. Neues Deutschland (in German). 41 (202). 27 August 1986. p. 7. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
10. "(W4x) Women's Quadruple Sculls – Final". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
11. "Hohe staatliche Auszeichnungen verliehen" [Awarded high state awards]. Neues Deutschland (in German). 42 (243). 15 October 1986. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
12. "(W4x) Women's Quadruple Sculls – Final". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
13. "Diesmal wuchsen die Männer der DDR über sich hinaus" [This time the men of the GDR grew beyond themselves]. Neues Deutschland (in German). 42 (204). 31 August 1987. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
14. "Nach dem "Krebs" ging die Post ab" [After the "crab" they went off]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 43 (204). 31 August 1987. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
15. "Ehrentitel wurden gestern vergeben" [Honorary titles were awarded yesterday]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 44 (24). 29 January 1988. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
16. "Goldener Han-River besonders gastfreundlich" [Golden Han River particularly hospitable]. Neue Zeit (in German). 44 (228). 26 September 1988. p. 5. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
17. Russek, Volkmar (3 November 1988). "Nur zwei von 23 kehrten ohne Goldschmuck heim" [Only two out of 23 returned home without gold jewelry]. Neues Deutschland (in German). 43 (260). p. 7. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
18. "Hohe Auszeichnungen verliehen" [High honours awarded]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 44 (268). 12 November 1988. p. 4. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
19. Otto, Karl-Heinz (19 June 1989). "Nicht nur DDR-Siege" [Not only DDR victories]. Neue Zeit (in German). 45 (142). p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
20. "Die DDR-Ruderer hatten in Bled bei den WM wiederum den erfolgreichsten Schlag" [The East German rower had in Bled at the World Cup again the most successful stroke]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 45 (214). 11 September 1989. p. 7. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
21. "Ruder-Weltcups an Jordache und Janson" [Rowing Worldcups to Jordache und Janson]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 46 (163). 16 July 1990. p. 10. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
22. "Nur Platz fünf für Weltmeister-Duo" [Only fifth place for world champion duo]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 47 (93). 22 April 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
23. "Berliner Ruder-Duo deklassierte Gegner" [Berlin rowing duo outclassed opponents]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 47 (120). 27 May 1991. p. 18. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
24. "Ein Frauen-Quartett bereitet noch Sorgen" [A women's quad still causes worries]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 47 (155). 6 July 1991. p. 27. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
25. "Ergebnisspiegel" [Result list]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 47 (198). 26 August 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
26. "Kein Lehrgang in der Ferne aber Barcelona im Blick" [No training course in the distance but Barcelona in view]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 48 (54). 4 March 1992. p. 26. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
27. "Weitere 25 Berliner Athleten für Barcelona benannt" [Another 25 Berlin athletes named for Barcelona]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 48 (140). 18 June 1992. p. 27. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
28. "Kurz Gemeldet" [Briefly Reported]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 49 (281). 1 December 1993. p. 13. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
29. Hoffmann, Wilfried. "Ruder-Weltmeisterschaften seit 1962: Deutsche Medaillenerfolge – Gold, Silber und Bronze" [Rowing World Championships since 1962: German medal series – gold, silver and bronze] (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
30. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Germany Rowing at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
31. "Jana Rau-Sorgers". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
32. Hoffmann, Wilfried. "DDR-Rudermeisterschaften: Doppelzweier – Frauen (Plätze 1–3)" [DDR rowing championships: Double scull – women (places 1–3)] (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
33. Hoffmann, Wilfried. "DDR-Rudermeisterschaften: Doppelvierer – Frauen (Plätze 1–3)" [DDR rowing championships: Quad scull – women (places 1–3)] (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
34. Hoffmann, Wilfried. "Deutsches Meisterschaftsrudern: Doppelvierer – Frauen (Plätze 1–3)" [German Championship Rowing: Quad scull - women (Places 1-3)] (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
35. "Spurts beim Trockenrudern" [Sprints in dry rowing]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 47 (298). 23 December 1991. p. 18. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
36. "Oliver Rau". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
37. Weiner, Bianca (23 August 2014). "Einbruch bei Bremer Olympia-Siegerin". Bild (in German). Retrieved 7 October 2017.
38. Hagedorn, Marc (6 April 2017). "Rauhut folgt auf Rau". Weser-Kurier (in German).
39. Cottäus, Daniel (6 April 2017). "Oliver Rau verlässt Werder". Kreiszeitung Verlagsgesellschaft (in German). Retrieved 7 October 2017.

External links

• Photos of Sorgers at the 1988 and 1996 Olympics