Marita Koch

High school (ages 12+)
Sports & Games

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/marita-koch

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Marita Koch born?February 18, 1957
2. Where was Marita Koch born?Greifswald, East Germany
3. What is the total world records set?30 (16 outdoor, 14 indoor)
4. What is the 400 meters world record?47.60 seconds (set October 6, 1985, still stands)
5. Who is Marita Koch?Marita Koch is a famous East German sprinter born in 1957. She became one of the fastest runners in the world during the 1970s and 1980s.
6. What is her most famous record?Her most famous record is the 400‑meter world record of 47.60 seconds, set on October 6, 1985, in Canberra, Australia.

Periodization: A systematic training approach that divides a year into cycles to optimize performance for key events.
Plyometrics: Exercises involving explosive movements like jumping to increase power and speed.
Lactic Acid: A substance produced in muscles during intense exercise that can lead to fatigue.
Type II Muscle Fibers: Fast-twitch muscle fibers responsible for rapid, powerful contractions, crucial for sprinting.