Stefka Kostadinova

Her world record of 2.09 metres has stood since 1987. 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.

Stefka Kostadinova

Personal information
Native name	Стефка Георгиева Костадинова
Full name	Stefka Georgieva Kostadinova
Nationality	Bulgarian
Born	(1965-03-25) 25 March 1965 (age 59) Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Years active	1985–1997
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	60 kg (132 lb)
Sport
Country	Bulgaria
Sport	Athletics
Event	High jump
Turned pro	1985
Retired	1997
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals	1st (Atlanta, 1996)
Highest world ranking	1st (Rome, 1987)
Personal bests	High jump outdoor: 2.09 m (WR) indoor: 2.06 m
Medal record Representing  Bulgaria Olympic Games 1996 Atlanta High jump 1988 Seoul High jump World Championships 1987 Rome High jump 1995 Gothenburg High jump European Championships 1986 Stuttgart High jump World Indoor Championships 1985 Paris High jump 1987 Indianapolis High jump 1989 Budapest High jump 1993 Toronto High jump 1997 Paris High jump European Indoor Championships 1985 Pireaus High Jump 1987 Liévin High Jump 1988 Budapest High Jump 1994 Paris High Jump 1992 Genoa High Jump

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).

 

Kostadinova is the reigning world record holder in the women's high jump at 2.09 m, which she jumped during the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome. Her world record is one of the oldest in modern athletics. 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).

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.

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.

• Female two metres club