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 "title": "Jorg Friedrich",
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 "excerpt": "Jörg Friedrich (born 1959, Rathenow) is an East German rower, Olympic gold medalist in the men's eights at Moscow 1980, world champion in eights 1979 and coxed fours 1981; not the author or bobsledder Friedrich.",
 "snippet": "Jörg Friedrich (born 1959, Rathenow) is an East German rower, Olympic gold medalist in the men's eights at Moscow 1980, world champion in eights 1979 and coxed fours 1981; not the author or bobsledder Friedrich.",
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 "markdown": "# Jorg Friedrich\n\n**Jörg Friedrich** (born 1959 in Rathenow, Brandenburg) is a German rower who competed for East Germany and won the gold medal in the men's eights at the 1980 Moskva Olympics.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> He was also a world champion in the eights and in coxed fours during a run of East German success in large boats between 1979 and 1983.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup>\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Born | 1959, Rathenow, Brandenburg (GER)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |\n| Measurements | 193 cm / 93 kg<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |\n| Club | Potsdamer RG, Potsdam; earlier SG Dynamo Potsdam<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |\n| Olympic result | Gold, men's eights, 1980 Moskva, for East Germany<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |\n| World titles | Eights 1979 (Bled); coxed fours 1981 (Munich)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |\n| World silvers | Eights 1982 (Lucerne); coxed fours 1983 (Duisburg)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |\n| Missed Games | 1984 Los Angeles, excluded by the Soviet-led boycott<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |\n\n## Olympic gold in Moscow\n\nFriedrich rowed in the East German eights that won the 1980 Olympic final at Moskva.\n\n## World championship career\n\nFriedrich's international career began in small boats.\n\n## The 1984 boycott\n\nBecause of the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Friedrich could not defend his Olympic title.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> His 1980 appearance remained his only Olympic Games.<sup>[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/jorg-friedrich/75938)</sup>\n\n## Life outside rowing\n\nFriedrich trained as a carpenter but was employed by the Deutsche Volkspolizei (the East German police) at Potsdam; after [German reunification](https://www.edgepedia.org/german-reunification) he returned to work as a carpenter.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup>\n\n## Other people named Jörg Friedrich\n\nThe name is shared by several unrelated people. Karlheinz Friedrich, an East German gymnast who competed at the 1960 Roma Olympics and later became a sports photographer, is a separate Olympian, as are the Austrian gymnast Hans Friedrich and the German bobsledder [Francesco Friedrich](https://www.edgepedia.org/francesco-friedrich).<sup>[3](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/30210)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/29378)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/127814)</sup> A German author named Jörg Friedrich, born 17 August, is documented in biographical reference works and is a different person from the rower.<sup>[6](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/friedrich%20joerg/00/24402)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Olympedia – Jörg Friedrich](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)\n2. [L'Équipe – Jörg Friedrich, aviron](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/jorg-friedrich/75938)\n3. [Olympedia – Karlheinz Friedrich](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/30210)\n4. [Olympedia – Hans Friedrich](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/29378)\n5. [Olympedia – Francesco Friedrich](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/127814)\n6. [Munzinger Biographie – Jörg Friedrich](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/friedrich%20joerg/00/24402)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Water sports › Rowers and coxswains › German and East German rowers › East German rowers*\n\n*Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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 "credit": "\"Jorg Friedrich\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/jorg-friedrich. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
 "credit_md": "\"[Jorg Friedrich](https://www.edgepedia.org/jorg-friedrich)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/jorg-friedrich](https://www.edgepedia.org/jorg-friedrich). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).",
 "credit_html": "\"<a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/jorg-friedrich\">Jorg Friedrich</a>\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/jorg-friedrich\">https://www.edgepedia.org/jorg-friedrich</a>. <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\">Edgepedia Community License 1.0</a>.",
 "speakable": "Jörg Friedrich is an East German rower, Olympic gold medalist in the men's eights at Moscow 1980, world champion in eights 1979 and coxed fours 1981; not the author or bobsledder Friedrich."
}