OSTERMEYER, MICHELINE

born Dec. 23, 1922, Berck-sur-Mer, France French athlete who won gold medals in the shot put and the discus throw at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. Ostermeyer lived in North Africa in her youth and became involved in field athletics as a member of a club in Tunis, Tunisia. Her international debut, at the 1946 European championships, was notable for her second-place finish in the shot put. A gifted pianist, she attended the Paris Conservatory of Music, from which she graduated with high honours in 1948. Three months later she participated in the 1948 Olympics in London, the first Games in which the women's shot put was a medal event. Although Russia and East Germany were at the time preeminent in throwing events, neither country participated in that year's Olympics. Ostermeyer put the shot 45 feet 1 1/2 inches (13.75 m) to win the gold medal. Her discus throw of 137 feet 6 inches (41.92 m) also won a gold medal. Ostermeyer competed against Russians in the 1950 European championships, where she won bronze medals in the shot put and hurdles and finished fourth in the discus throw. She also enjoyed a successful career as a concert pianist.