Andreas Thorkildsen facts for kids
Thorkildsen in 2008
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| Nationality | Norwegian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 1 April 1982 Kristiansand, Norway |
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| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 90 kg (198 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  Norway |
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| Sport | Track and field | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Javelin throw | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Kristiansand IF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Åsmund Martinsen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | NR 91.59 m (2006) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Andreas Thorkildsen (born April 1, 1982) is a famous retired athlete from Norway. He was a champion in the javelin throw, a sport where athletes throw a spear-like object as far as they can. Andreas won two Olympic gold medals, two European Championship gold medals, and one World Championship gold medal.
He is the first male javelin thrower ever to hold all three major titles at the same time: European, World, and Olympic Champion. He also won three silver medals at the World Championships. His personal best throw of 91.59 meters, set in 2006, is still the Norwegian record.
Contents
About Andreas Thorkildsen
Early Life and Family
Andreas Thorkildsen was born on April 1, 1982. His father, Tomm Thorkildsen, was also a javelin thrower. His mother, Bente, was a national champion in the 100 metres hurdles in 1972. Andreas has one older brother. He went to Kristiansand Cathedral School for his secondary education.
Life Outside Sports
Andreas Thorkildsen was once in a relationship with fellow Norwegian athlete Christina Vukicevic, who competed in hurdles. They later announced they were no longer a couple.
In 2007, Andreas also tried modeling. He showed off winter and autumn clothing collections for former football player Martin Dahlin.
Andreas's Javelin Career
Andreas Thorkildsen started throwing the javelin when he was 11 years old. His father, Tomm, was his coach until 1999. As a teenager, Andreas set many national records for young boys.
- In 1996, he set a record for 14-year-olds (53.82 meters).
- In 1998, he set a record for 16-year-olds (61.57 meters).
- In 1999, he set a record for 17-year-olds (72.11 meters).
- In 2000, he set a record for 18-year-olds (77.48 meters).
In 1999, he placed seventh at the European Junior Championships. In 2000, he won his first medal at the Norwegian championships, taking silver. He also won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships.
Starting His Professional Journey (2001–2003)
In 2001, Andreas moved to Oslo and joined the club SK Vidar. His new coach was Åsmund Martinsen, who was also a former javelin thrower. This new partnership helped Andreas a lot.
He soon threw over 80 meters, reaching 83.87 meters in June. This was a world junior record until 2011. He won another silver medal at the European Junior Championships. Andreas became the Norwegian champion for the first time in 2001.
In 2002, Andreas threw 83.43 meters, his best for the season. However, he did not make it past the qualifying round at the European Championships in Munich. He finished fifteenth overall.
In 2003, Andreas reached his first major international final at the World Championships in Paris. He finished eleventh with a throw of 77.75 meters. He won his second national title, showing he was Norway's top javelin thrower.
Olympic Gold in Athens (2004)
In 2004, Andreas showed great form leading up to the Olympic Games. He qualified for the Olympics with an 84.12 meter throw. In July, he won his first big international meet in Stockholm.
The Olympic javelin competition was very open. Andreas threw 81.74 meters in the qualification round, easily making it to the final. In the final, he started strong with an 84.82 meter throw.
In the second round, Andreas threw a personal best of 86.50 meters. No one else could beat this throw. Andreas won a surprising Olympic gold medal! He became the second Norwegian man to win Olympic gold in javelin throw.
World Championship Silver (2005)
The main event of 2005 was the World Championships. Andreas improved his personal best to 86.82 meters in June, breaking the Norwegian record. He then improved it again to 87.66 meters in July.
At the World Championships in Helsinki, the weather was windy and rainy. Andreas was in the lead after three rounds with 86.18 meters. However, he finished with a silver medal. Andrus Värnik of Estonia won gold with a throw of 87.17 meters.
Later that year, Andreas improved his national record to 89.60 meters. This placed him third on the world's top list for the season.
European and Olympic Dominance (2006–2008)
In 2006, Andreas joined his original club, Kristiansands IF. In May, he threw over 90 meters for the first time, reaching 90.13 meters. At the Bislett Games, he improved his record again to 91.59 meters, achieving his goal of throwing 300 feet.
He entered the 2006 European Championships as a favorite. Andreas won the event with 88.78 meters. He also won his first World Athletics Final and the 2006 IAAF World Cup. With 91.59 meters, he was ranked number one in the world for the first time.
In 2007, Andreas aimed to win the IAAF Golden League jackpot. He won another silver medal at the World Championships in Osaka.
In 2008, Andreas won the Golden League event in Oslo. His main goal was the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He won a gold medal at the Olympics, setting a new Olympic record with 90.57 meters. Andreas led the competition from his very first throw. All five of his throws would have been enough to win a medal.
World Champion and Retirement (2009–2016)
In 2009, Andreas made history. He became the first male javelin thrower to hold all three major titles: European, World, and Olympic champion. He won the World Championship in Berlin with 89.59 meters. He also had the season's best throw of 91.28 meters.
He started his 2010 season with a big throw of 90.37 meters. On July 31, he successfully defended his European title with a throw of 88.37 meters. In 2011, he finished second at the World Championship in Daegu.
In 2012, Andreas finished fourth at the European Championships in Helsinki. This was the first time since 2003 that he did not win a medal at a major championship. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he finished fifth.
The World Championships in Moscow in 2013 was his last major championship. He finished sixth. Injuries forced him to end his 2014 season early. He decided to skip the entire 2015 season, hoping to return in 2016. However, in May 2016, Andreas Thorkildsen announced he was retiring from sports.
Awards and Recognition
At the end of 2004, Andreas Thorkildsen was named Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year by Norwegian sports journalists.
In 2008, he received the European Athlete of the Year trophy from the European Athletic Association. This award recognized his success at the Beijing Olympics and his ability to throw over 90 meters.
Seasonal Bests by Year
- 1998 – 61.57 m
- 1999 – 72.11 m
- 2000 – 77.48 m
- 2001 – 83.87 m
- 2002 – 83.43 m
- 2003 – 85.72 m
- 2004 – 86.50 m
- 2005 – 89.60 m
- 2006 – 91.59 m
- 2007 – 89.51 m
- 2008 – 90.57 m
- 2009 – 91.28 m
- 2010 – 90.37 m
- 2011 – 90.61 m
- 2012 – 84.72 m
- 2013 – 84.64 m
- 2014 – 80.52 m
Images for kids
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Thorkildsen at the GE Money Grand Prix in Helsinki, July 2005
See also
In Spanish: Andreas Thorkildsen para niños
