Petra Schersing (néeMüller, born 18 July 1965 in Quedlinburg) is a retired East German sprinter who specialised in the 400 metres. She represented sports club SC Chemie Halle and was coached by Harold Werner. At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, she won a silver medal in the 400 metres and a bronze medal in the 4×400 metres relay.
Biography
As Petra Muller, she first achieved international recognition, when she became the 1983 European Junior Champion at 400 metres. She also won a gold medal in the 4 × 400 m relay.
Muller won her biggest individual title in 1988, when she became the European Indoor Champion in 50.28 secs, which at the time ranked her fourth on the indoor all-time list. At the 1988 Olympics she won the silver medal in the 400 m, between SovietsOlga Bryzgina (gold) and Olga Nazarova (bronze). She also won the bronze medal in the 4 × 400 m relay, with teammates Neubauer, Emmelmann and Busch.
In 1990, now competing as Petra Schersing, she won a silver medal at the European Championships in Split, finishing behind her teenage teammate Grit Breuer and won a gold medal in the relay, with new teammates Manuela Derr, Annett Hesselbarth and Breuer.
Schersing's personal best time in the 400 metres is 49.30 seconds, achieved in June 1988 in Jena, which at that time placed her tenth on the all-time list. She won the East German National 400 m title three times (1986–1988) and twice won the East German indoor 400 m title (1986, 1988).
As of 2013, Schersing's Outdoor best (49.30) is 21st on the World all-time list and third on the German all-time list, only behind Marita Koch and Sabine Busch.,[1] while her indoor best (50.28) is tenth on the World indoor all-time list and second on the German indoor all-time list, behind Sabine Busch.
