# Jorg Friedrich

**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>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1959, Rathenow, Brandenburg (GER)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |
| Measurements | 193 cm / 93 kg<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |
| Club | Potsdamer RG, Potsdam; earlier SG Dynamo Potsdam<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |
| Olympic result | Gold, men's eights, 1980 Moskva, for East Germany<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |
| World titles | Eights 1979 (Bled); coxed fours 1981 (Munich)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |
| World silvers | Eights 1982 (Lucerne); coxed fours 1983 (Duisburg)<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |
| Missed Games | 1984 Los Angeles, excluded by the Soviet-led boycott<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)</sup> |

## Olympic gold in Moscow

Friedrich rowed in the East German eights that won the 1980 Olympic final at Moskva.

## World championship career

Friedrich's international career began in small boats.

## The 1984 boycott

Because 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>

## Life outside rowing

Friedrich 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>

## Other people named Jörg Friedrich

The 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>

## References

1. [Olympedia – Jörg Friedrich](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37598)
2. [L'Équipe – Jörg Friedrich, aviron](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/jorg-friedrich/75938)
3. [Olympedia – Karlheinz Friedrich](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/30210)
4. [Olympedia – Hans Friedrich](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/29378)
5. [Olympedia – Francesco Friedrich](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/127814)
6. [Munzinger Biographie – Jörg Friedrich](https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/friedrich%20joerg/00/24402)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Water sports › Rowers and coxswains › German and East German rowers › East German rowers*

*Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license