Stefka Kostadinova

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Stefka Kostadinova
Stefka Kostadinova.JPG
Personal information
Native name Стефка Георгиева Костадинова[1]
Full name Stefka Georgieva Kostadinova[1]
Nationality Bulgarian
Born (1965-03-25) 25 March 1965 (age 59)[1]
Plovdiv, Bulgaria[1]
Years active 1985–1997
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Weight 60 kg (132 lb)[1]
Sport
Country  Bulgaria
Sport Athletics
Event(s) High jump
Turned pro 1985
Retired 1997
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals 1st (Atlanta, 1996)
Highest world ranking 1st (Rome, 1987)
Personal best(s) High jump
outdoor: 2.09 m
indoor: 2.06 m[2]

Stefka Georgieva Kostadinova (Bulgarian: Стефка Георгиева Костадинова; born 25 March 1965) is a Bulgarian former athlete who competed in the high jump. Her world record of 2.09 metres stood since 1987 until being broken by Yaroslava Mahuchikh in 2024. She is the 1996 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion, and a five-time World Indoor champion. She has been the president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee since 2005.[3]

Early career

Born in Plovdiv, Kostadinova went to a specialist sports school, but was only introduced to high jump in a Year Six (12–13-year-olds) athletics meet in Sofia, on a day she is quoted as saying she would never forget (on TransWorldSport interview in 2012).

Career

File:Stefka Kostadinova plaque National stadium.jpg
A plaque on Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria, commemorating Kostadinova's world record of 2.08 m set on 31 May 1986

Kostadinova was reigning world record holder in the women's high jump until July 2024. She set a world record of 2.09 m at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome. Altogether Kostadinova set seven world records - three outdoors and four indoors. She also holds the distinction of having jumped over 2.00 m 197 times.

Kostadinova won the gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, setting an Olympic record of 2.05 m. She also won a silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Kostadinova won the outdoor World Championships in 1987 and 1995. She won the World Indoor Championship five times between 1985 and 1997. Kostadinova also won gold in all European Championships in Athletics in which she competed. She was a European outdoor champion in Stuttgart in 1986 and a four-time European indoor champion in 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1994.

Kostadinova was voted Sportsperson of the Year in Bulgaria four times (1985, 1987, 1995 and 1996).

Personal life

In 1995 Kostadinova gave birth to her son, Nikolay, just several months before winning gold in the 1995 World Championships in Athletics. In 1999 she divorced her long-standing husband and coach, Nikolay Petrov. The same year she officially put an end to her athletic career, though she had actually not participated in any major sports competition since the World Indoors Championship in 1997. In 2007 Kostadinova married businessman Nikolai Popvasilev.[4]

Sports administration career

After retiring Kostadinova started a career in sports administration. She has served as vice president of the Bulgarian Athletic Federation, vice president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee and was deputy sports minister of Bulgaria from 2003 through 2005.

On 11 November 2005, Kostadinova was elected president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee. She replaced Ivan Slavkov, who was expelled by the International Olympic Committee for violating its standards in ethics.

International competitions

Year Competition Venue Position Notes
Representing  Bulgaria
1984 Friendship Games Prague, Czechoslovakia 4th 1.93 m
1985 World Indoor Games Paris, France 1st 1.97 m
European Indoor Championships Piraeus, Greece 1st 1.97 m
World Cup Canberra, Australia 1st 2.00 m
1986 Goodwill Games Moscow, Soviet Union 1st 2.03 m
European Championships Stuttgart, Germany 1st 2.00 m
1987 European Indoor Championships Liévin, France 1st 1.97 m
World Indoor Championships Indianapolis, United States 1st 2.05 m
World Championships Rome, Italy 1st 2.09 m WR
1988 European Indoor Championships Budapest, Hungary 1st 2.04 m
Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea 2nd 2.01 m
1989 World Indoor Championships Budapest, Hungary 1st 2.02 m
1991 World Championships Tokyo, Japan 6th 1.93 m
1992 European Indoor Championships Genoa, Italy 2nd 2.02 m
Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain 4th 1.94 m
1993 World Indoor Championships Toronto, Canada 1st 2.02 m
World Championships Stuttgart, Germany 15th (q) 1.90 m
1994 European Indoor Championships Paris, France 1st 1.98 m
1995 World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 1st 2.01 m
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 1st 2.05 m
1997 World Indoor Championships Paris, France 1st 2.02 m

See also

References

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  2. Stefka Kostadinova's IAAF profile
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External links

Records
Preceded by Women's High Jump World Record Holder
1 June 1986 – 7 July 2024
Succeeded by
Ukraine Yaroslava Mahuchikh
Sporting positions
Preceded by President of the
Bulgarian Olympic Committee

11 November 2005 –
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Sporting positions
Preceded by Women's High Jump Best Year Performance
1985 – 1988
Succeeded by
Cuba Silvia Costa
Preceded by Women's High Jump Best Year Performance
1992 – 1993
Succeeded by
Cuba Silvia Costa
Ukraine Inga Babakova
Slovenia Britta Bilač
Preceded by Women's High Jump Best Year Performance
1996 – 1997
Succeeded by
Bulgaria Venelina Veneva
Preceded by Women's Bulgarian National Champion
1985 — 1988
Succeeded by
Bulgaria Rosanel Gogi
Preceded by Women's Bulgarian National Champion
1991
Succeeded by
Bulgaria Lyudmila Andonova
Preceded by Women's Bulgarian National Champion
1996
Succeeded by
Bulgaria Khristina Kalcheva

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