Volker Hadwich

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1989-0722-021, Volker Hadwich.jpg

Volker Hadwich (born 23 September 1964) is a German male former javelin thrower who competed for East Germany and Germany. Born in Magdeburg, during his career he competed for his hometown club SC Magdeburg and stood at 1.96 m, weighing 103 kg.[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417223212/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/volker-hadwich-1.html Volker Hadwich]. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2017-02-14. He set his personal best of {{T&Fcalc|84.84}} in 1989.[https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/germany/volker-hadwich-1075 Volker Hadwich]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-02-14.

He threw beyond eighty metres for the first time in the 1986 season, achieving a best of {{T&Fcalc|81.02}} in Erfurt, ranking in the world's top twenty that year.[http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=2415&Gender=M Volker Hadwich]. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 2017-02-14. He had his first international success at the 1987 Universiade, where he was the bronze medallist behind Marek Kaleta and Sejad Krdžalic.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/wsgm.htm World Student Games (Men)]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-02-14.

The 1989 season was the peak of his career. He won his first national title at the East German Athletics Championships with a meet record throw of {{T&Fcalc|84.06}}.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/gdr.htm East German Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-02-14. He was the bronze medallist at both the 1989 European Cup and 1989 IAAF World Cup, with Steve Backley being the winner at both events.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/epm.htm European Cup A Final]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-02-14.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/wp.htm IAAF World Cup]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-02-14. He ended the year second on the European rankings to Backley, courtesy of a lifetime best performance of {{T&Fcalc|84.84}} in Macerata,[http://www.gbrathletics.com/tp/eurm.htm European Top Performers]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-02-14. which made him the fourth best athlete in the world in 1989.

After missing much of the 1990 and 1991 seasons due to injury,Klaus Amrhein: Biographisches Handbuch zur Geschichte der Deutschen Leichtathletik 1898-2005. 2 Bände, Darmstadt 2005 publiziert über Deutsche Leichtathletik Promotion- und Projektgesellschaft {{in lang|de}} he returned to claim the second and final national title of his career at the German Athletics Championships, throwing {{T&Fcalc|82.26}} (his best that year).[http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/ger.htm German Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-02-14. As a result he was chosen to represent Germany at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Later investigation of leaked Stasi files showed Hadwich had failed doping tests for abnormal levels of testosterone, which were subsequently covered up by the national sports body.[http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-13686550.html „EINE GROSSE MAFIA“] {{in lang|de}} (1994-03-21). Retrieved on 2017-02-14.