Kajsa Bergqvist facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kajsa Bergqvist

Kajsa Bergqvist during the Swedish Sports Awards inside the Stockholm Globe Arena in January 2013
Personal information
Born	(1976-10-12) 12 October 1976 (age 48) Sollentuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden
Height	1.75 m
Weight	59 kg
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	High jump
Retired	2007
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	High jump (outdoor): 2.06 m High jump (indoor): 2.08 m (world record) Heptathlon: 4952 points
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  Sweden Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 0 1 World Championships 1 0 2 World Indoor Championships 2 0 0 European Championships 1 0 1 European Indoor Championships 1 1 0 Continental Cup 0 0 0 Total 5 1 3 Olympic Games Bronze 2000 Sydney High jump World Championships Gold 2005 Helsinki High jump Bronze 2001 Edmonton High jump Bronze 2003 Paris High jump European Championships Gold 2002 Munich High jump Bronze 2006 Gothenburg High jump World Indoor Championships Gold 2001 Lisbon High jump Gold 2003 Birmingham High jump European Indoor Championships Gold 2000 Ghent High jump Silver 2002 Vienna High jump World Athletics Final Gold 2005 Monte Carlo High jump Gold 2006 Stuttgart High jump Bronze 2003 Monte Carlo High jump
Updated on 18 August 2013.

Kajsa Margareta Bergqvist is a Swedish former high jumper. She was born on October 12, 1976, in Sollentuna Municipality, Stockholm. Kajsa won many important medals during her career. These include a bronze medal at the Olympic Games, a gold medal and two bronze medals at the World Championships in Athletics, and a gold and a bronze medal at the European Championships.

Her best outdoor high jump was 2.06 meters (about 6 feet 9 inches). This jump, made in Germany in 2003, is still a Swedish record. She also set a world indoor record of 2.08 meters (about 6 feet 10 inches) in 2006.

Early Life and Training

Growing Up in Sollentuna

Kajsa Bergqvist was born in Sollentuna, a town in Stockholm County. When she was 10 years old, her older brother, Anders, encouraged her to try a long-distance running race called Rösjöloppet. After that, she started trying out different sports in athletics. She was inspired by famous athletes like Carl Lewis.

Focusing on High Jump

Kajsa kept training in many athletic events until she was 15. Then, a new coach named Bengt Jönsson joined her club, Turebergs FK. Soon after, they decided to focus on high jump, which was her strongest event.

College and Early Success

From 1995 to 1999, Kajsa went to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, USA. She studied Advertising there. She became the NCAA champion in 1997, jumping 1.93 meters (about 6 feet 4 inches). She won the NCAA meet again in 1999. That same year, she matched the college outdoor record of 1.98 meters (about 6 feet 6 inches). In 2000, she jumped 2.00 meters (about 6 feet 7 inches) at the Swedish Olympic trials. This was one of the best jumps in the world that year.

Athletics Career Highlights

Changing Coaches and Overcoming Injury

In late 2003, Kajsa Bergqvist started working with a new coach, Yannick Tregaro. In July 2004, she unfortunately injured her Achilles tendon during a competition. This injury meant she could not compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. However, she worked hard to recover.

World Championship Gold

Kajsa managed to get back into top shape just in time for the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki. There, she won the gold medal, beating Chaunté Howard. Her victory in Helsinki earned her the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal, a big award in Sweden.

Setting a World Record

In 2006, Kajsa was ranked the best female high jumper in the world. On February 4, 2006, at a meeting in Arnstadt, Germany, she set her first world record. She jumped 2.08 meters (about 6 feet 10 inches) on her first try. This jump broke the previous indoor world record of 2.07 meters, which had been set in 1992.

Later Career and Retirement

Later in 2006, she competed in the European Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, in front of her home fans. She won a bronze medal there. In 2007, she chose not to compete in the European Indoor Athletics Championships. Instead, she focused on defending her world outdoor title. However, she finished 7th at the World Championships in Osaka. Kajsa Bergqvist announced her retirement from athletics in January 2008.

After Athletics

Since retiring from high jump, Kajsa Bergqvist has continued to be involved in sports and other important causes. She has worked as an ambassador for both UNICEF, which helps children around the world, and the IAAF (now World Athletics), which is the international governing body for athletics. In 2021, Kajsa became the head coach for the Swedish national athletics team.

International Medals

High Jump Achievements

Kajsa Bergqvist won many medals at major international competitions:

• Olympic Games
  • 2000, Sydney – Bronze medal (1.99 m)
• World Championships in Athletics
  • 2005, Helsinki – Gold medal (2.02 m)
  • 2003, Paris – Bronze medal (2.00 m)
  • 2001, Edmonton – Bronze medal (1.97 m)
• World Indoor Championships in Athletics
  • 2003, Birmingham – Gold medal (2.01 m)
  • 2001, Lisbon – Gold medal (2.00 m)
• European Athletics Championships
  • 2006, Gothenburg – Bronze medal (2.01 m)
  • 2002, Munich – Gold medal (1.98 m)
• European Indoor Athletics Championships
  • 2002, Vienna – Silver medal (1.95 m)
  • 2000, Ghent – Gold medal (2.00 m)
• 1997, Turku – Silver medal (1.93 m)
• World Junior Championships in Athletics
  • 1994 Lisbon – Silver medal (1.88 m)
• European Athletics Junior Championships
  • 1995, Nyíregyháza – Silver medal (1.89 m)

Other Victories

Notable High Jump Wins

Kajsa Bergqvist also achieved many other victories throughout her career:

• 1997: Bloomington, IN NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship – 1.93 m
• 1999: Boise, ID NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship – 1.90m
• 1999: Brussels (Golden League) – 1.97 m
• 2000: Stockholm (Grand Prix) – 1.96 m
• 2001: Vaasa (European Cup first league) – 1.92 m; Rome (Golden League) – 1.98 m; Monaco (Golden League) – 1.99 m; Berlin (Golden League) – 1.96 m
• 2002: Seville (European Cup first league) – 1.98 m; Lausanne (Grand Prix) – 2.04 m; Paris Saint-Denis (Golden League-meet) – 1.97 m; Stockholm (Grand Prix) – 2.00 m; Brussels (Golden League-meet) – 1.99 m
• 2003: Ostrava (Grand Prix) – 2.01 m; Lappeenranta (European Cup first league) – 1.96 m; Internationales Hochsprung-Meeting Eberstadt – 2.06 m (outdoor personal best)
• 2005: Gävle (European Cup first league) – 2.01 m; Zagreb (Grand Prix) – 2.00 m; Madrid (Grand Prix) – 1.98 m; Stockholm (Grand Prix) – 1.95 m; Sheffield (Grand Prix) – 2.03 m; Monaco (World Athletics Final) – 2.00 m
• 2006: Doha (Grand Prix) – 1.97 m; Málaga (European Cup super league) – 1.97 m; Athens (Grand Prix) – 2.00 m; Stockholm (Grand Prix) – 2.02 m; London (Grand Prix) – 2.05 m; Eberstadt (high jump-meet) – 1.98 m; Stuttgart (World Athletics Final) – 1.98 m
• 2007; Vaasa (European Cup first league) – 1.92 m; Sheffield (Grand Prix) – 1.95 m

Kajsa Bergqvist's 2.06 m jump in Eberstadt 2003

See also

In Spanish: Kajsa Bergqvist para niños