Kajsa Margareta Bergqvist (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈkǎjːsa ˈbæ̂rjkvɪst]; born 12 October 1976 in Sollentuna, Stockholm) is a Swedish former high jumper. She won one bronze medal in the Olympic Games, one gold and two bronze medals in the World Championships in Athletics and one gold and one bronze in the European Championships. Her personal outdoor record of 2.06 m (6.8 ft), set in Germany in 2003, is also a Swedish record. Her indoor record of 2.08 m (6.8 ft), set at the Hochsprung mit Musik meeting in 2006, is the world indoor record.
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Early life
Bergqvist was born on 12 October 1976 in Sollentuna Municipality, Stockholm County.
When she was 10 years old, she was persuaded by her big brother, Anders, to compete in Rösjöloppet, a long-distance track event. After that event, she began to try out several athletic events. One of her motivational athletes was Carl Lewis.
Bergqvist continued to train in several athletic events until she was 15 years old, when a new coach, Bengt Jönsson, came to her club, Turebergs FK. Soon after his arrival, he and Bergqvist chose to concentrate on the event that was her best, high jump.
She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas (USA) in 1995–1999, with a degree in advertising.
Athletics career
Bergqvist was the NCAA champion in 1997 with a clearance of 1.93 m (6.3 ft) in the rain at the Indiana University over Amy Acuff of UCLA ending her streak at two. She won the NCAA meet again in 1999 with a height of 1.90 m (6.2 ft) in Boise. The same year, she tied Acuff's collegiate outdoor record of 1.98 m (6.5 ft).
In 2000, she cleared 2.00 m (6.56 ft) at the Swedish Olympic trials, tying for the year's second best record.
Bergqvist changed coaches from Bengt Jönsson to Yannick Tregaro in the autumn of 2003.
At a competition in Båstad, on 18 July 2004, Bergqvist tore her Achilles tendon. Due to the injury, she missed the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, but managed to return to form just in time for the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki. There she edged out Chaunté Howard for the gold medal. Her Helsinki victory earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal.
In 2006, she had been ranked the number one female high jumper in the world but failed to win in that summer's European Championships in front of her home fans in Gothenburg, having to settle for a bronze medal.
At the Hochsprung mit Musik meeting in Arnstadt, Germany, on 4 February 2006, Bergqvist set her first world record: she made an indoor leap of 2.08 m (6.8 ft) on her first attempt, surpassing Heike Henkel's 2.07 m (6.8 ft) leap on 8 February 1992.
Bergqvist chose not to compete in the 2007 European Indoor Athletics Championships, opting instead, to concentrate on defending her world outdoor crown. She had not started the indoor season well and was nowhere near the form which had seen her set the world record the year before. It did not pay off as she finished 7th in Osaka.
She announced her retirement in January 2008.
Post-athletics
Since her retirement, she has been an ambassador for both UNICEF and the IAAF.
In 2021 Bergqvist became head coach of the Swedish national athletics team.
Personal life
Bergqvist married director Måns Herngren on New Year's Eve in 2007. The couple announced their divorce in early 2011.
In December 2011, Bergqvist confirmed in an interview that she is in a relationship with a woman and stated: "As lesbian as I feel today, as heterosexual I felt when I was together with Måns. But when I get old and look back on my life, perhaps one can think that I'm bisexual." This announcement came after a period of rumours concerning Bergqvist's personal life.
International medals
High jump
Olympic Games
2000, Sydney – 1.99 m – Bronze
World Championships in Athletics
2005, Helsinki – 2.02 m – Gold
2003, Paris – 2.00 m – Bronze
2001, Edmonton – 1.97 m – Bronze
World Indoor Championships in Athletics
2003, Birmingham – 2.01 m – Gold
2001, Lisbon – 2.00 m – Gold
European Athletics Championships
2006, Gothenburg – 2.01 m — Bronze
2002, Munich – 1.98 m — Gold
European Indoor Athletics Championships
2002, Vienna – 1.95 m – Silver
2000, Ghent – 2.00 m – Gold
1997, Turku – 1.93 m – Silver
World Junior Championships in Athletics
1994 Lisbon – 1.88 m – Silver
European Athletics Junior Championships
1995, Nyíregyháza – 1.89 m – Silver
Other victories
High jump
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