Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/699819
21 CLAUDIA KOHDE-KILSCH West Germany SEOUL 1988 WOMEN'S DOUBLES BRONZE I t was a dream for me to be at the Olympic Games since I was a small child. First of all it was just a dream to take part and secondly it was a dream to win a medal. Tennis wasn't an Olympic sport for a long time and then suddenly I had the chance in 1988 to be there and maybe win a medal in doubles with Steffi Graf, and we were not a bad doubles team. Getting so near to a dream, there was a little bit of pressure of course. It would have been a pity if we had lost that quarterfinal match as you would be just out of the medals. I remember I thought, "Okay, that's a bronze medal at least, so now let's maybe go for the final." It was a little bit of a relief to know at least we have a medal. Even if not gold or silver, a medal is a medal. It rates on top, together with my Wimbledon title in doubles. Even if it was not the gold or silver, a medal is a medal. In the end it didn't matter what colour it was. It is in my closet and everybody can see it. I have some of my trophies in boxes, but the very special ones are on display. Of course, to have a Wimbledon title is always the ultimate achievement in tennis, but to win an Olympic medal is very special in another way. For me, it was all excitement for the two weeks I was there. When we arrived in advance, we were practising and training. And one day Steffi said, "Let's go train with a 400 metres hurdler," as he was a very good German one. He said, "Okay, I'm going to do some practise at the track and do some running." Steffi said, "Let's go with him, we can also do some practise and warm-ups." For 15 minutes I was running with him and I was dead. I was like, "Oh my god, I still have to play." Afterwards there was a reception in my home tennis club, RCS in Saarbrucken. I was honoured by our mayor and things like that because it was special. Saarbrucken has some Olympic medallists and champions but not so many, so even for my region it was special. When the Olympics are on I remember how it was in my time and it makes me proud because I had the chance to be there. I think with great happiness about those times. Even if not gold or silver, a medal is a medal. * * West Germany competed between 1952 and 1988