Kristina Vogel facts for kids
Vogel in 2022
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 November 1990 Leninskoye, Bishkek, Kirghiz SSR |
| Height | 1.60 m |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Track |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Sprinter |
Kristina Vogel (born 10 November 1990) is a famous former German track cyclist. She was known for her amazing speed and strength on the bike. During her career, she won many big races, including two gold medals at the Olympic Games. She also became an eleven-time UCI World Champion, which is a huge achievement in cycling. In 2018, a serious accident changed her life, leading to her being unable to use her legs.
Contents
Kristina Vogel's Cycling Journey
Early Life and First Races
Kristina Vogel was born in a place called Leninskoye, near Bishkek, in Kyrgyzstan. When she was just six months old, she moved to Germany with her parents. She started cycling at a young age and quickly became very good. In 2007 and 2008, she competed in junior championships. She won six junior world titles and two junior European titles, showing her talent early on.
Overcoming Challenges and Olympic Dreams
In April 2009, Kristina had a serious accident while riding her bike near her home. She was badly hurt and had to stay in a special sleep for two days to recover. But Kristina was very determined! She worked hard to get back on her bike.
By 2010, she was already competing again at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships. She finished fifth in the individual sprint and sixth in the team sprint with her teammate Miriam Welte. She also competed in the 2011 World Championships.
Winning Gold at the Olympics
Kristina and Miriam Welte were a fantastic team. At the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne, they won the gold medal in the team sprint. They even set a new world record twice in that competition!
Later that year, at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, they made history. They won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in the women's team sprint. It was an exciting race where they had to stay focused, even when other teams faced penalties.
Kristina continued her success at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She won another gold medal, this time in the women's individual sprint. She also earned a bronze medal in the women's team sprint, again with Miriam Welte.
A Life-Changing Accident
On June 26, 2018, Kristina was training at a velodrome (a special track for cycling) in Cottbus. She had a very serious accident during practice. This accident caused a severe injury to her spinal cord, which meant she could no longer move her legs. This condition is called paraplegia.
Her teammate, Maximilian Levy, was the first to help her. After the accident, many people showed their support. Maximilian and another cyclist, Max Dörnbach, started a campaign using the hashtag #staystrongkristina. They raised a lot of money to help Kristina with her recovery.
Life After Cycling
Even after her accident, Kristina Vogel remained a strong and inspiring person. Before her accident, she was also working as a part-time police officer. In 2019, she decided to get involved in politics. She ran for election as a candidate for the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in the city council elections in Erfurt. This shows her continued dedication to serving her community.
Images for kids
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Kristina Vogel in 2022
See also
In Spanish: Kristina Vogel para niños
