TRACK AND FIELD/EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS : Golden Farewell to World Sports by East Germans

East Germany, making its final appearance in international sports, and Britain’s dominant men’s team, led by Linford Christie and Steve Backley, each won two gold medals at the European track and field championships Tuesday.

The East German victories, by sprinter Katrin Krabbe and long jumper Heike Drechsler, were the country’s second and third, all by women, on the second day of the six-day meet.

The East German women won their first gold Monday, when Astrid Kumbernuss upset world record-holder and Olympic champion Natalya Lisovskaya of the Soviet Union in the shotput.

Next year, after unification expected later this year, East Germany and West Germany will be competing under one flag.

Krabbe, 20, the 1988 world junior champion, never trailed in leading an East German sweep in the 100-meter dash. Her time of 10.89 seconds matched her personal best and was the third-fastest in the world this year.

Silke Moeller, the 1987 world champion at 100 and 200 meters, finished second in 11.10 and Kerstin Behrendt was third in 11.17.

Moeller said that Krabbe “cannot be beaten at this moment. She is currently so superior that sometimes we feel helpless.”

“The merge will increase the competition for the (single) German team,” Krabbe said. “That will even improve our results.”

Drechsler, 25, making a comeback after becoming a mother, proved she still is a world-class competitor by winning the long jump at 23 feet 11 1/2 inches, the second-best in the world this year.

Drechsler said she was particularly moved because her husband and son, Toni, were in the stands, and it was the first time she competed in the presence of her child.

Christie salvaged a bad season and overcame a bad start in winning the men’s 100 in a wind-aided 10.00, and Backley, the world javelin record-holder at 298-6, won at 286-5.

“It feels great to be back in good condition again,” said Christie, who has been troubled by injuries throughout the season. “I had a slow start, but I felt strong and knew I was going to have a fantastic race. This gold proves it.”

The day’s other gold medal went to Pavol Blazek of Czechoslovakia in the men’s 20-kilometer walk in 1 hour 22 minutes 5 seconds.