{{short description|East German sport shooter}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Marlies Ray | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Marlies Kanthak | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|1|10|df=y}} | birth_place = Torgau, Saxony, East Germany | death_date = <!-- {{death date and age|||||||df=y}} --> | death_place = | residence = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = | years_active = | spouse = {{marriage|Hans-Jürgen Helbig|1978}}<br />{{marriage|Eugen Ray|1984|18 January 1986|end=d.}} | height = | weight = | sport = Shooting | club = GST-Club Leipzig | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Shooting }} {{MedalCountry | {{GDR}} }} {{MedalCompetition|Friendship Games}} {{MedalGold |1984 Moscow | 10 m air rifle}} {{MedalBronze |1984 Moscow | 50 m rifle three positions}} }} '''Marlies Ray''' ({{nee}} '''Kanthak''', then '''Helbig''', born 10 January 1958) is a retired sport shooter from East Germany. She was twice world champion.
==Shooting career== Kanthak was born in 1958 in Torgau, Saxony; at the time located in East Germany. The leader of her school choir in the nearby Arzberg, Klaus Müller, was also a trainer in sport shooting and she was asked, aged 12<ref name="Was macht Marlies Ray" /> or 13,<ref name="nicht angezogen wie fürs Theater">{{cite news | first=Ilse | last=Kämmerer |title=Bin nicht angezogen wie fürs Theater... | trans-title=I'm not dressed like for the theatre ... |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19750906-0-5-55-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=30 |issue=212 |date=6 September 1975 |page=5 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> to come along to a shooting session where her talent was discovered. Competing for Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik (GST)-Club Leipzig, her first international competition was in 1974 in Thun, Switzerland.<ref>{{cite news |title=Unsere Sportschützen für die WM nominiert | trans-title=Our shooters nominated for the World Championships |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19740911-0-5-61-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=29 |issue=251 |date=11 September 1974 |page=5 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Fahrkarten nicht gefragt | trans-title=Tickets not asked for |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2612273X-19830913-0-6-105-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neue Zeit |volume=39 |issue=216 |date=13 September 1983 |page=6 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> Competing as a 16-year-old (the youngest of the approximately 1000 competitors<ref>{{cite news |title=Silber für Wunderlich | trans-title=Silver for Wunderlich |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP26120215-19740925-0-7-89-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Berliner Zeitung |volume=30 |issue=265 |date=25 September 1974 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref>), she came fourth at the 1974 World Championships in the women's 50 m rifle three positions<!-- original text translates as "Women's standard rifle 3x20 shots" and I believe that's this category -->. At the 1975 European Championships in Sofia, she won silver behind Anka Pelova in the 50 m rifle three positions,<ref name="Kluge bio">{{cite book | first=Volker | last=Kluge | authorlink=Volker Kluge | edition=2 | title=Das große Lexikon der DDR-Sportler: Die 1000 erfolgreichsten und populärsten Sportlerinnen und Sportler aus der DDR, ihre Erfolge, Medaillen und Biographien. |trans-title= The big lexicon of the GDR athletes: The 1000 most successful and popular athletes from the GDR, their successes, medals and biographies. | publisher=Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag | location=Berlin | date=2004 | isbn=3-89602-538-4 | pages=450f |language=de}}</ref> and won gold in the 60 m lying position.<ref name="nicht angezogen wie fürs Theater" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Zwei Europameistertitel im Schießen für die DDR | trans-title=Two European Championship titles in shooting for the GDR |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19750905-0-5-87-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=30 |issue=211 |date=5 September 1975 |page=5 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> Her strong performance was the main reason for the East German women to win the team competition.<ref>{{cite news |title=17jährige Schützin holte EM-Titel | trans-title=17-year-old shooter won European title |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP26120215-19750906-0-7-62-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Berliner Zeitung |volume=31 |issue=212 |date=6 September 1975 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref>
At the 1976 European 10 m Events Championships in Paris, France, in February 1976, Kanthak came third in the mixed event and became European champion with the junior team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Harald Vollmar mit Weltrekord EM-Erster | trans-title=Harald Vollmar with world record EC-first |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19760223-0-8-147-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=31 |issue=46 |date=23 February 1974 |page=8 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> Kanthak went to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, where she was so nervous that she couldn't see the target properly.<ref name="Kluge bio" /> In the mixed 50 metre rifle three positions she came 32nd, and in the mixed 50 metre rifle prone she was 51st.<ref name="SR profile">{{Cite sports-reference |title = Marlies Kanthak |url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ka/marlies-kanthak-1.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418022805/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ka/marlies-kanthak-1.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = 18 April 2020 |access-date = 22 April 2019 }}</ref> At the 1976 European Championships in Skopje, Yugoslavia, Kanthak was again beaten by Pelova in the 50 m rifle three positions event, but the GDR women won gold as a team. Their result of 1,772 rings set a new world record.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mit Weltrekord zum EM-Titel | trans-title=With world record for the European Championship title |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19760920-0-5-77-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=31 |issue=224 |date=20 September 1976 |page=5 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> In the 50 m rifle prone event, Kanthak showed poor form and came fifth as an individual but won silver with the team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Champion mit Europarekord | trans-title=Champion with European record |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2612273X-19760920-0-6-98-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neue Zeit |volume=32 |issue=224 |date=20 September 1976 |page=6 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref>
At the February 1977 European Championships held at Les Escaldes, Andorra, where competitions were held in air gun disciplines, Kanthak won silver with the air rifle and gold with the women's team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sportschützen der DDR errangen vier Europameistertitel | trans-title=Sport shooters of the GDR won four European championship titles |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19770214-0-7-102-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=32 |issue=38 |date=14 February 1977 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> At the September 1977 European Championships in Bucharest, Romania, Kanthak did not place among the top ten in the mixed 50 meter rifle prone event but was the highest-placed competitor from East Germany.<ref>{{cite news |title=Überraschungssieg in der ersten Gewehrdisziplin | trans-title=Surprise victory in the first rifle discipline |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP26120215-19770903-0-7-59-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Berliner Zeitung |volume=33 |issue=209 |date=3 September 1977 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> At the October 1977 European Championships for women and juniors in Rome, Italy, Kanthak won three gold medals: in the 50 meter rifle prone event, the 50 m rifle three positions event, and in the latter discipline also with the women's team. In the 50 m rifle three positions event, she improved Pelova's 1975 world record by two rings to 582 points.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marlies Kanthak sehr zielsicher: drei Titel | trans-title=Marlies Kanthak very unerring: three titles |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19771003-0-7-149-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=32 |issue=234 |date=3 October 1984 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> For her success, she was awarded the Ernst Schneller Medal in gold in December 1977, the highest award given out by the Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik.<ref>{{cite news |title=Verdiente Wehrsportler wurden ausgezeichnet | trans-title=Respected athletes were honoured |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19771215-0-6-93-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=32 |issue=296 |date=15 December 1977 |page=6 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref>
At the February 1978 European Championships held at Copenhagen, Denmark, where competitions were held in air gun disciplines, Kanthak came seventh in the individual air rifle competition, and won silver with the team in that event.<ref>{{cite news |title=DDR-Pistolenschützen wurden Europameister | trans-title=GDR pistol shooters became European champions |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19780227-0-7-115-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=33 |issue=49 |date=27 February 1978 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> She competed under her married name Helbig at the 1978 European Championships for women and juniors in Hämeenlinna, Finland, in the 50 metre rifle three positions event and won a silver medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Erfolgreiche DDR-Schützen | trans-title=Successful GDR shooters |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2612273X-19780904-0-8-198-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neue Zeit |volume=34 |issue=209 |date=4 September 1978 |page=8 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref>
At the March 1979 European Championships held at Graz, Austria, where competitions were held in air gun disciplines, Helbig won a bronze medal in the individual air rifle competition, and silver with the team in that event.<ref>{{cite news |title=Olympiasieger Potteck verbesserte Weltrekord | trans-title=Olympic champion Potteck improved world record |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19790312-0-7-100-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=34 |issue=60 |date=12 March 1979 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> At an international competition in Suhl, East Germany, Helbig equalled her 1977 world record in the 50 m rifle three positions event.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hohe Ringzahlen bei den Schützen in Suhl | trans-title=High ring numbers for the shooters in Suhl |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19790528-0-7-101-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=34 |issue=124 |date=28 May 1979 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref>
In April 1979, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that women would first compete in their own shooting events in the 1984 Summer Olympics.<ref>{{cite news |title=IOC beschloß einige Programmänderungen | trans-title=IOC decided to make some program changes |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19790411-0-5-163-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=34 |issue=86 |date=11 April 1979 |page=5 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> As women were outperformed by men, East Germany did not nominate any women for the 1980 Summer Olympics.<ref>{{Cite sports-reference |title = East Germany Shooting at the 1980 Moskva Summer Games |url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/GDR/summer/1980/SHO/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200417103403/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/GDR/summer/1980/SHO/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = 17 April 2020 |access-date = 22 April 2019 }}</ref>
As the Eastern Bloc boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics, Ray competed at the Friendship Games in Moscow instead. She won a bronze medal in the 10 metre air rifle event and won gold in the 50 metre rifle three positions event.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marlies Ray schoß in allen Serien zuverlässig | trans-title=Marlies Ray shot reliable in all series |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19840825-0-7-127-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=39 |issue=201 |date=25 August 1984 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> Immediately afterwards, she was awarded a Patriotic Order of Merit in gold.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hohe Auszeichnungen verliehen | trans-title=High honours awarded |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19840901-0-4-338-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=39 |issue=207 |date=1 September 1984 |page=4 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref>
Ray intended to temporarily retire in 1985 when she became pregnant.<ref>{{cite news |title=Generalprobe auf dem Suhler Friedberg | trans-title=Dress rehearsal on the Suhler Friedberg |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19840901-0-4-338-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Berliner Zeitung |volume=42 |issue=171 |date=22 July 1986 |page=6 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> Her aim was to restart her shooting career so that she could compete at the 1986 World Championships in her home country held at Suhl, but her husband died during her pregnancy and she did not get back to shooting.<ref name="Was macht Marlies Ray">{{cite news |last1=Wendt |first1=Nico |title=Was macht eigentlich Marlies Ray geb. Kanthak? |url=http://www.torgauerzeitung.com/default.aspx?t=newsdetailmodus(43330) |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Torgauer Zeitung | trans-title=What is Marlies Ray née Kanthak doing? |date=17 July 2009 |language=de}}</ref> At GST-Club Leipzig, she had been trained by Helga Börners, Gerda Voß, and Herbert Golla.<ref>{{cite news |title="Meine Frau ist mir sportliches Vorbild!" | trans-title="My wife is a sporting role model for me!" |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2612273X-19810922-0-6-142-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neue Zeit |volume=37 |issue=224 |date=22 September 1981 |page=6 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> Ray won more than 30 individual national championships during her career.<ref name="Was macht Marlies Ray" />
Ray was a judge at the shooting competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.<ref name="Kluge bio" />
==Private life== In 1978, she married fellow sport shooter Hans-Jürgen Helbig.<ref name="Kluge bio" /> Her husband would compete at the 1980 Summer Olympics where he came 8th in the mixed 50 metre running target.<ref>{{Cite sports-reference |title = Hans-Jürgen Helbig |url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/he/hans-jurgen-helbig-1.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418023026/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/he/hans-jurgen-helbig-1.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = 18 April 2020 |access-date = 22 April 2019 }}</ref> In 1978 and 1979, she was referred to in the media as '''Marlies Helbig-Kanthak''', and during 1980 either by this double-barrel name or as '''Marlies Helbig'''. From 1981, she was exclusively referred to under her husband's name only.
In 1984, she married Eugen Ray. Her second husband had gone to the 1980 Summer Olympics as a sprinter and had, in the 1982/83 season, unsuccessfully tried his luck as a bobsledder.<ref name="Kluge bio" /><ref>{{Cite sports-reference |title = Eugen Ray |url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ra/eugen-ray-1.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418011322/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ra/eugen-ray-1.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = 18 April 2020 |access-date = 22 April 2019 }}</ref> The first mention of her new surname appeared in August 1984,<ref>{{cite news |title=Die besten DDR-Schützen sind in Moskau beteiligt | trans-title=The best DDR shooters are involved in Moscow |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP26120215-19840815-0-6-190-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Berliner Zeitung |volume=40 |issue=192 |date=15 August 1984 |page=6 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> and she was mostly referred to as '''Marlies Ray-Helbig''' for the rest of 1984, and mostly as '''Marlies Ray''' during 1985. Her husband, who worked for the Police, died in a traffic crash while driving a police car on 18 January 1986. She was pregnant at the time and their son, who was to be named after his father, was born in June 1986.<ref name="Kluge bio" />
She studied clinical psychology.<ref name="Kluge bio" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Eigenen Weltrekord um einen Ring verbessert | trans-title=Own world record improved by one ring |url= http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19821109-0-7-119-0 |accessdate=22 April 2019 |work=Neues Deutschland |volume=37 |issue=263 |date=9 November 1982 |page=7 |language=de}}{{registration required}}</ref> She lives in Wermsdorf and has been self-employed as a psychotherapist in Döbeln since 2007.<ref name="Was macht Marlies Ray" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Marlies}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:People from Torgau Category:Olympic shooters for East Germany Category:Recipients of the Patriotic Order of Merit in gold Category:German female sport shooters Category:Shooters at the 1976 Summer Olympics Category:Sport shooters from Saxony Category:Sportspeople from Bezirk Leipzig Category:East German female sport shooters