Sissy Schwarz

Elisabeth "Sissy" Schwarz (born 19 May 1936)[1] is an Austrian former figure skater who is best known for her career in pair skating. With Kurt Oppelt, she is the 1956 Olympic champion, the 1956 World champion, the 1956 European champion, and a five-time Austrian national champion (1952–56).

Sissy Schwarz
Full nameElisabeth Schwarz
Other namesSchwarz-Bollenberger
Born (1936-05-19) 19 May 1936
Vienna, Austria
Figure skating career
CountryAustria
Retired1956
Medal record
Representing  Austria
Pairs' Figure skating
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Pairs
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1956 Garmisch-PartenkirchenPairs
Silver medal – second place 1955 ViennaPairs
Bronze medal – third place 1954 OsloPairs
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1956 ParisPairs
Silver medal – second place 1954 BolzanoPairs
Bronze medal – third place 1953 DavosPairs

Skating career

Single skating

Schwarz competed in single skating for a few years. She took the silver medal at the 1952 Austrian Championships, placed 19th at the 1952 Winter Olympics, and finished ninth at the 1953 European Championships. She never competed at the World Championships as a singles skater.

Pair skating

Her partner in pair skating was Kurt Oppelt. In 1952, they won their first national title and were sent to their first European Championships, where they placed seventh. The pair then competed at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway, where they placed ninth, and at the 1952 World Championships, finishing seventh.

Schwarz/Oppelt stepped onto the European podium for the first time at the 1953 European Championships, where they won the bronze medal, and then placed sixth at the World Championships. In 1954, they became European silver medalists and went on to win their first World medal, bronze, at the 1954 World Championships. They followed it up with silver at the 1955 World Championships, finishing as close runners-up to Canada's Frances Dafoe / Norris Bowden, who took their second World title.

After winning the Austrian national title for the fifth consecutive year, Schwarz/Oppelt became the 1956 European champions. They then competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Skating to Banditenstreiche by Franz von Suppé,[2] they won the gold medal ahead of Dafoe/Bowden, who faltered on a lift, causing them to finish after their music ended. The judging panel was split 6 to 3 in favor of Schwarz/Oppelt.[3]

Schwarz/Oppelt went on to win the 1956 World title before retiring from competition. In the summer of 1956, they joined the Wiener Eisrevue and performed in ice shows for three or four years.[4]

Later years

In 1968, she decided to open a skating club in Wiener Neustadt and worked with Rudolf Lang to build a skating rink.[2]

Personal life

Schwarz married a lawyer and became known as Schwarz-Bollenberger.[4] She has three children and lives in Wiener Neustadt.[2]

Results

Pairs with Oppelt
International[1][5]
Event 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956
Winter Olympics9th1st
World Championships7th6th3rd2nd1st
European Championships7th3rd2nd1st
National
Austrian Championships1st1st1st1st1st

Single skating
International
Event 1952 1953
Winter Olympics19th
European Championships9th
National
Austrian Championships2nd

References
  1. "Sissy Schwarz und Kurt Oppelt - zwei Einzelsportler gemeinsam zu Gold" [Sissy Schwarz and Kurt Oppelt] (in German). Österreichisches Olympiamuseum. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  2. Stockmann, Gabi (19 February 2010). "Die Goldene war damals nicht aus Gold" (in German). adaxas.net. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  3. "CBC.CA - Torino 2006". www.cbc.ca. Archived from the original on 2006-05-04.
  4. "Eiskunstlauf-Olympiasieger Oppelt wird 80" [Olympic figure skating champion Oppelt turns 80] (in German). Kurier.at. 16 March 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
  5. "Schwartz and Oppelt competition record". pairsonice.net. Archived from the original on 20 May 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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