In 1987 and 1988 she and Meike Holländer formed a coxless pair team at the German Championship and scored second.

In 1990, Mehl and Holländer participated as a coxless four team with Cerstin Petersmann and Sylvia Drödelmann.

After the German reunification in 1990 the rowing clubs of western and eastern Germany united.

As a newly formed coxless four team, Gabriele Mehl, Cerstin Petersmann, Judith Zeidler and Kathrin Haaker won the German Championship and scored third at the World Championship.

[2][3] In 1992, Gabriele Mehl was member of a coxless four with Antje Frank, Birte Siech and Annette Hohn at the Olympic Games 1992.