Passing of Ruth Fuchs: The World's Greatest Javelin Thrower and Former Leftist Politician

Egeln/Jena - The highly accomplished Javelin Olympian, Ruth Fuchs, has recently passed away at the age of 76, having been defeated only thrice in her entire career.

Thuringia's Prime Minister, Bodo Ramelow (67, Linke) and the German Athletics Association reported to the German Press Agency on Wednesday, referencing Fuchs' immediate private circle. According to the report, the renowned former athlete passed on early Wednesday morning at the University Hospital Jena.

Born in Egeln, near Magdeburg, Fuchs was the first woman to throw a javelin over 60 meters. The world's best javelin thrower narrowly missed a sixth world record, falling just four centimeters short of the 70-meter mark, at the end of her career between 1967 and 1980.

"The 70-meter miss bothered me a bit at the time. Despite the minor hitch, I cherish those moments. I'm proud of my achievements", Fuchs once stated.

She bagged one of her total eleven East German championships titles in 1967. Besides her Olympic victories in Munich in 1972 and Montreal four years later, the athlete from SC Motor Jena triumphed twice at European Championships, multiple times at the Europe Cup, and at the inaugural World Cup in 1977.

Given her accomplishments, Ruth Fuchs, who was only defeated thrice in her entire career, gained fame as the 'woman with the iron arm'.

Politically Active Ruth Fuchs Post her Athletic Career

Fuchs pursued higher studies at the DHfK in Leipzig alongside her sports career and received her promotion in 1984. Post reunification, Fuchs, a member of the SED since 1971, represented the PDS in Parliament until 2002. In 1994, she admitted to doping, and her second husband and trainer, Karl Hellmann (†81), was considered an expert on doping in East Germany.

After leaving Parliament, Fuchs served in the Thüringer State Parliament until 2009. "Ruth was remarkably honest and outspoken. A comrade in arms, she exemplified reliability and honesty, with her heart in the right place", shared Dietmar Bartsch (65), leader of the Left parliamentary group in Parliament, on X platform, previously known as Twitter.

Post her political career, Fuchs ran a fashion store in Jena. "I've always stayed true to my principles, even facing criticism from many corners. It's been an enriching experience", remarked Fuchs before her 70th birthday.