Ines Bibernell

Ines Bibernell ( Obst; born 21 July 1965 in Querfurt, Bezirk Halle) is a former East German female track and field athlete who competed in middle- and long-distance track events. She was a gold medallist at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in 1986.

A member of the SC Chemie Halle athletics club, the Querfurt-born athlete came to prominence in the 1985 season. The teenager won a 1500 metres/3000 metres double at the East German Indoor Championships before going on to take a 3000 m/10,000 metres double at the East German Athletics Championships outdoors. Her first major international appearances came that year in the 10,000 m and she was runner-up at the 1985 European Cup and placed fourth at the 1985 IAAF World Cup.

At the start of 1986, she defended her national indoor title over 3000 m and set an under-23 indoor world best for the 2-mile run, This remains the German national record for that event. The greatest feat of her career came that February, as she won the gold medal over 3000 m at the 1986 European Athletics Indoor Championships – the only East German woman ever to win that title. After this victory she won a 1500/3000 m double at the national outdoor championships. A third straight East German indoor 3000 m title came in 1987, but this was the last high level achievement of her briefly flourishing career.

Personal bests 800 metres: 2:05.4 min, 9 June 1983, Neubrandenburg 1500 metres: 4:05.64 min, 28 June 1985, Potsdam 2000 metres: 5:47.58 min, 22 September 1985, East Berlin 3000 metres: 8:49.80 min, 27 June 1986, Jena 5000 metres: 15:27.05 min, 3 July 1986, Dresden 10,000 metres: 32:32.28 min, 1 June 1986, Erfurt

International competitions

National titles East German Athletics Championships 1500 m: 1986 3000 m: 1985, 1986 10,000 m: 1985 East German Indoor Athletics Championships 1500 m: 1985 3000 m: 1985, 1986, 1987