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Kajsa Margareta Bergqvist (born October 12, 1976 in Sollentuna, Sweden) is an athlete competing in high jump. She has won one bronze medal in the Olympic Games, one gold and two bronze medals in the World Championships in Athletics and one gold in the European Championships. Her personal record of 2.06 m, set in Germany in 2003, is also a Swedish record.
Kajsa grew up in Sollentuna, north of Stockholm, with her mother Elsa, father Gunnar and big brother Anders. Her interest in sport began when she was six years old and tried sports such as football, volleyball, badminton, swimming and cross-country skiing, none of which was able to keep her interest.
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When she was ten 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 sevaral athletic events.
Kajsa 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 Kajsa chose to concentrate on the event that was her best, high jump.
In 2001 she moved from Sweden to Monaco.
By 2004, lack of progress and long travel distances caused Kajsa to end the relationship with her coach, Bengt Jönsson. She joined a group of athletes (including Olympic gold medalist Christian Olsson) under Yannick Tregaro.
At a competition in Båstad, on July 18, 2004, Kajsa 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 made an impressive series of jumps to edge out Chaunte Howard for the gold medal.
She has currently, as of August 29, 2005, been ranked the number one female high jumper in the world for 4 consecutive weeks, since August 8, 2005.
Profile:
High jump
Olympic Games
2000 - 1.99 m - Bronze
World Championships in Athletics
2005 - 2.02 m - Gold
2003 - 2.00 m - Bronze
2001 - 1.97 m - Bronze
World Indoor Championships in Athletics
2003 - 2.01 m - Gold
2001 - 2.00 m - Gold
European Athletics Championships
2002 - 1.98 m - Gold
European Indoor Athletics Championships
2002 - 1.95 m - Silver
2000 - 2.00 m - Gold
European Athletics U23 Championships
1997 - 1.93 m - Gold
World Junior Championships in Athletics
1994 - 1.88 m - Gold
European Athletics Junior Championships
1995 - 1.89 m - Gold
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