Docufilms.com ^®

In the 1980s Hartwig Gauder is regarded as unbeatable: for over ten years he has set world standards in race walking, winning almost every competition: champion of the German Democratic Republic, then European champion, world champion, Olympic gold medallist. Success comes thick and fast. In 1993 he becomes German champion over 50 kilometres. Then he ends his incredible career. And, almost immediately, Hartwig Gauder, the winner, has to fight his hardest battle - for his heart. It becomes a race against death or, as Gauder says in retrospect, a race for his life. When the functioning capacity of his heart drops to a life-threatening 15%, doctors implant an artificial heart. But his condition worsens dramatically - for weeks he wrestles with death. In the very last second he agrees to a transplant and is saved. It is January 30th 1997. The film revolves around this 30th January 1997, the day of the operation. It portrays the developments leading up to the operation and the new life that this day brings for Hartwig Gauder. The film also describes how Gauder accepts his illness as a race against death, mobilises all his reserves, concentrates like a marathon runner on his survival, deploys all his sporting abilities in his battle with death - and wins again.