Verena Sailer
A German speedster who seized the European 100m crown with explosive starts and consistent championship performances.
Born 1985 (age 41)·German sprinter·Birthday: October 16·Millennials
Biography
Verena Sailer spent over a decade as a fixture in European sprinting, a model of consistency in a discipline defined by fleeting moments. Specializing in the 100 meters, her career was built on powerful starts and a fierce competitive spirit. While global medals eluded her, she dominated on the continental stage, peaking at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona. There, she delivered the race of her life, claiming the gold medal and cementing her status as Europe's fastest woman. A mainstay for the German relay team, she also helped secure 4x100m silver at the 2012 European Championships. Sailer competed for MTG Mannheim throughout her career, her personal best of 11.02 seconds standing as a mark of her raw speed and dedication to the craft of sprinting.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Verena was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Verena Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Verena's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the gold medal in the 100m at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona.
- Earned a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the 2012 European Athletics Championships.
- Represented Germany at the 2012 Olympic Games in London in the 100m and 4x100m relay.
Did You Know?
She studied sports management at the University of Leipzig.
Her 100m personal best of 11.02 seconds, set in 2013, places her among Germany's all-time fastest women.
She was the German national champion in the 100m multiple times.
After retirement, she has worked as a sports commentator and presenter.
“The start is everything; you can't win a race in the last ten meters.”
