Birgit Fischer to Kayak in London 2012?

12X German Medallist Eyes Summer Olympics

German Birgit Fischer, winner of 12 Olympic medals at 6 Olympic games, is considering competing at the London 2012 games despite being 50. Fischer is one of the best-known athletes in the sport of Flatwater Sprint Canoe for her records in the sport so anyone that knows her record knows better than to write her off.

Birgit Fischer's Medals

Fischer competed at her first Olympic games at the age of only 18 at the Moscow 1980 games. She won gold in the K1 (kayak, one athlete) 500 meter race. This put her in the records book as the youngest athlete to win gold in Flatwater Canoe racing.

Fischer was unable to compete in the 1984 Los Angeles games due to the East German boycott, but represented East Germany again at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where she won three medals.

After the reunification of Germany, Fischer competed and medalled at the 1992 Barcelona games, 1996 Atlanta games, 2000 Sydney games, and the 2004 Athens games. Fischer did not compete in the 2008 games in Beijing, though her niece Fanny Fischer won a gold for Germany in the women's K4 500m.

While a strong competitor on her own, Fischer has also medalled many times as part of a team in both K2 (kayak, two athletes), and K4 (kayak, four athletes) races. She has continued to dominate her sport, with Olympic medals at five other Olympic games and an unbelievable 39 World Championship medals.

Birgit Fischer Sets Records

In addition to her 12 Olympic medals, 8 gold and 4 silver, Fischer has several other notable achievements and records. She was also the oldest Canoeist to win Olympic Gold when she won gold in the K4 500m in Athens at the age of 42.

She is the first female athlete of any sport to win gold medals at 6 different Olympics. She is the only female Olympian to win medals at games that were 20 years apart.

Fischer's 2012 Comeback Rumors

Birgit Fischer officially retired from international competition twice, the first time after the Seoul Olympics in 1988, the second after the 2000 Sydney games. Both times she has come back to compete and medal at the following Olympic games.

Fischer has been training and talking like she is attempting to return to competition for the 2012 London games. The International Canoe Federation (ICF) reports that Fischer is looking to "test her limits" by attempting to qualify for the games. Fischer's attitude is truly that of an Olympian. "Why should I no longer set myself goals at the age of 50? I've got blisters all over my hands and feet, I'm giving my all but nothing beats competition," she says on the ICF website, demonstrating her urge to compete.

Head Coach of Germany's Canoe Kayak team, Rienner Keissler, feels that Fischer could compete at the level necessary to qualify for the games despite being her being formally retired from international competition.

In order to qualify she will need to compete and have a solid performance in German's National Championships, which occur in April. It is unclear whether Fischer will be competing in K1, K2, or K4, and if in a team boat who her team mates will be.

Whether Fischer is successful or not, she has an amazing athletic record and has influenced countless female athletes in Flatwater Canoe.