Dieter Speer

Dieter Speer
Personal information
Full nameDieter Speer
Born (1942-02-24) 24 February 1942
Legnica, Lower Silesia, Germany
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Professional information
SportBiathlon
ClubSG Dynamo Zinnwald
Olympic Games
Teams2 (1968, 1972)
Medals1 (0 gold)
World Championships
Teams4 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1973)
Medals3 (1 gold)
Medal record
Men's biathlon
Representing  East Germany
Olympic Games
1972 Sapporo4 × 7.5 km relay
World Championships
1971 Hämeenlinna20 km individual
1970 Östersund4 × 7.5 km relay
1973 Lake Placid4 × 7.5 km relay

Dieter Speer (born 24 February 1942) is a former East German biathlete.

He was the first German to hold the title when he became world champion in biathlon in 1971, beating the outstanding Alexander Tikhonov over 20 kilometres. Tikhonov could be said to be partly responsible for Speer's success, since the rifle was a gift from Tikhonov.

Speer was able to return the favour a year later at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, lending Tikhonov his ski when the latter fell during the relay and broke a ski. In that event, the Russians won, and the East German team only got a bronze medal.