Background
He was born in Chemnitz, Saxony.
He was born in Chemnitz, Saxony.
In the contest, Nordwig, the American Bob Seagren and the West-German Claus Schiprowski all cleared at 5.40 m, Seagren and Schiprowski on their second attempts and Nordwig on his third. All missed at 5.45 m. An initial ban in July had been reversed on 27 August, but on the eve of the competition, 30 August, the IAAF reimposed their ban claiming the poles were new equipment and therefore invalid.
Nordwig had never preferred the new pole so was unaffected.
In the competition itself, Johnson was eliminated at 5.40 m with Nordwig clearing on his second attempt and Seagren on his third. Nordwig then cleared 5.45 m with Seagren unable to match him.
Nordwig then underlined his triumph by clearing 5.50 m for a new Olympic record and his personal best. Nordwig twice broke the pole vault world record.
The second was on 3 September 1970 in Turin, Italy when he broke his own world record with a height of 5.46 m (17 ft 110 in).
World Rankings
Nordwig was voted by the experts at Track and Field News to be ranked among the best in the world (the best in 1970 and 1971) in the pole vault in the period from 1965 to 1972. Nordwig studied for a diploma in physics and a doctorate in economics. He worked for VEB Carl Zeiss Jena eventually becoming a director of research and development.
Later, he was managing director of a travel company in Berlin.
Nordwig won a bronze in the pole vault at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Seagren was the gold medal winner because he had had fewer misses at lower heights than Schiprowski. Nordwig was Olympic champion at the pole vault at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Seagren, the defending champion, finished second. Johnson third; and Smith and Isaksson did not even qualify for the final. He was also European champion three times: in 1966, 1969 and 1971. In addition, he was twice European indoor champion in 1971 and 1972. The first occasion was on 17 June 1970 in Berlin, Germany when he achieved a height of 5.45 m (17 ft 106 in).
He was a member of the East German team, the first time East and West Germany had sent separate teams to the Olympics.
