# Olaf Forster

**Olaf Förster** (born 1962 in Karl-Marx-Stadt, now Chemnitz) is a retired German rower who competed for East Germany and won the gold medal in the men's coxless four at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37599)</sup> He is listed by some English-language databases as Olaf Forster, but the spelling used in German and Olympic records is Förster.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37599)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962, Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz), Saxony, then East Germany<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37599)</sup> |
| Physical measurements | 190 cm, 89 kg<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37599)</sup> |
| Club | SC Einheit Dresden, Dresden<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37599)</sup> |
| Olympic result | Gold, men's coxless four, Seoul 1988, in 6:03.11<sup>[2](https://odp.mjchost.com/en/results/1988c-row.htm)</sup> |
| World bronzes | 1985 Hazewinkel (coxless four), 1986 Nottingham (coxed pair), 1990 Tasmania (coxless four)<sup>[3](https://www.xn--meb.pisz.pl/Olaf_F%C3%B6rster)</sup> |

## Olympic gold in Seoul

In the final on 25 September 1988 the East German boat won in 6:03.11, finishing 2.42 seconds ahead of the United States and 3.11 seconds ahead of [West Germany](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-germany).<sup>[2](https://odp.mjchost.com/en/results/1988c-row.htm)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.xn--meb.pisz.pl/Olaf_F%C3%B6rster)</sup> In the preliminary heat on 20 September the same crew had won in 6:05.65.<sup>[4](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/09/20/Olympic-ResultsNEWLNAt-Seoul-South-Korea-Sept-20/1490590731200/)</sup>

## World Championship career

In 1990 the same four took bronze at the World Championships in Tasmania, in the last World Championship appearance of the East German rowing national team.<sup>[3](https://www.xn--meb.pisz.pl/Olaf_F%C3%B6rster)</sup>

Domestically, Förster won East German national titles in 1985 and again from 1987 to 1990, and in 1983 he had placed second in the eight at the East German championships.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37599)</sup> The 1987 to 1990 national titles in the coxless four went to the SC Einheit Dresden / SC Berlin-Grünau crew of Luedecke, Greiner, Brudel, and Förster, with Förster as stroke.<sup>[5](https://www.rrk-online.de/rudern/chronrudern/ddrmeist/ddr-m-vo.htm)</sup>

## Early life and later activities

After his career he worked for an insurance company and became president of his home club, the Dresdner Ruder-Club.<sup>[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37599)</sup> For the Seoul Olympic victory he received the [Patriotic Order of Merit](https://www.edgepedia.org/patriotic-order-of-merit) (Vaterländischer Verdienstorden); the German-language account records the award in Gold, citing *Neues Deutschland* of 12/13 November 1988, while a Polish encyclopedia lists it in Silver.<sup>[3](https://www.xn--meb.pisz.pl/Olaf_F%C3%B6rster)</sup>

His wife, the former Kerstin Pieloth, whom he married in September 1987, is also an Olympic rowing champion, having won the women's quadruple sculls at the 1988 Games for East Germany.<sup>[6](https://www.hermandw.be/FullOlym/biofor.htm)</sup>

## References

1. [Olympedia – Olaf Förster](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/37599)
2. [Seoul 1988 – Rowing, Men's Coxless Four, Olympic Data Project](https://odp.mjchost.com/en/results/1988c-row.htm)
3. [Olaf Förster – Encyklopedia internetowa](https://www.xn--meb.pisz.pl/Olaf_F%C3%B6rster)
4. [UPI Archives, Olympic Results, Seoul, 20 September 1988](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/09/20/Olympic-ResultsNEWLNAt-Seoul-South-Korea-Sept-20/1490590731200/)
5. [RRK 08 – DDR-Rudermeisterschaften, Vierer ohne Männer](https://www.rrk-online.de/rudern/chronrudern/ddrmeist/ddr-m-vo.htm)
6. [Great Olympians – biographies, FOR (Kerstin Förster entry)](https://www.hermandw.be/FullOlym/biofor.htm)

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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