Birte Steven

{{short description|German swimmer}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Birte Steven

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Birte Steven

| nicknames =

| nationality = {{GER}}

| strokes = Breaststroke

| club = SGJ Hannover

| coach = Larry Liebowitz (U.S.)

| collegeteam = Oregon State University (U.S.)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|10|11|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Hannover, Lower Saxony, West Germany

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{convert|1.73|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|61|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}

| medaltemplates =

| show-medals = yes

| updated =

}}

Birte Steven (born 11 October 1980) is a German former swimmer, who specialized in breaststroke events.{{cite sports-reference|title = Birte Steven|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/st/birte-steven-1.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200417192823/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/st/birte-steven-1.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 17 April 2020|access-date = 24 March 2013}} She is a ten-time All-Pacific honoree, and also a sixth-place finalist in the 200 m breaststroke at the 2007 FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.{{cite news|title=Birte Steven, Jed Pennell Earn Pacific-10 Medals |url=http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/w-swim/spec-rel/082505aca.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411144905/http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/w-swim/spec-rel/082505aca.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 April 2013 |publisher=Oregon State University |date=2 June 2004 |accessdate=24 March 2013 }} Since 2007, Steven currently holds a long-course German record of 2:25.33 from the national championships.{{cite news|title=German Olympic Trials: Good Day to Be Named Steffen |url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/17909.asp |publisher=Swimming World Magazine |date=22 April 2008 |accessdate=24 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130311022251/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/17909.asp |archivedate=11 March 2013 }}

Steven qualified for the women's 200 m breaststroke at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, by attaining an A-standard entry time of 2:25.95 from the German Olympic trials.{{cite news|title=Steven, Stockbauer Shine on Day Three of German Trials|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/7350.asp|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|date=6 June 2004|accessdate=24 March 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130411220058/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/7350.asp|archivedate=11 April 2013}}{{cite web|title=Swimming – Women's 200m Breaststroke Startlist (Heat 3)|url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000104060033000000FFFFFFFFFFFF00|format=PDF|work=Athens 2004|publisher=Omega Timing|accessdate=24 March 2013}} In the morning's preliminary heats, Steven recorded the seventh fastest time of 2:27.42 to secure her spot in the semifinal run. On the evening session, Steven failed to qualify for the final, as she placed eleventh overall in the semifinals, with a time of 2:29.22.{{cite web|title=Women's 200m Breaststroke Semifinal 2|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/swimming/results/3531230.stm|work=Athens 2004|publisher=BBC Sport|date=19 August 2004|accessdate=31 January 2013}}

Steven is also a member of the swimming team for the Oregon State Beavers, and a former student major in psychology at the Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.