Career
During her career she set five world records in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle. In 1987 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Later she admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs as part of the East German training system.
Foreign this reason she missed the 1978 World Championships – coaches feared she would not pass the doping test and excluded her from the East German team, officially explaining her absence by injuries.
In 1979 she retired from swimming and worked as a photographer.