Gerd Wessig (German pronunciation: [ɡɛʁt ˈvɛsɪç], audioⓘ; born 16 July 1959 in Lübz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) is a former East German high jumper who won the gold medal in the 1980 Summer Olympics, the first man ever to set a world record in the high jump at the Olympics.

Wessig, a professional chef, trained with the SC Traktor Schwerin under trainer Bernd Jahn.

[1] Wessig not only out-dueled Wszoła for the gold during the finals on 1 August, the two shattered the 1976 mark several times, with clearances at 2.27, 2.29, and 2.31.

That proved to be the decisive height: of the 7 men who cleared the then-new Olympic record of 2.27, only 4 managed to scale 2.29.

Those four, the Polish champion versus the entire East German team of Wessig, 18-year-old sensation Jörg Freimuth, and 22-year-old Henry Lauterbach, would now battle for the medals.

He married the long jumper Christine Schima (best performance: 6.96 metres, 1984; seventh place at the 1982 European Championships).