Kajsa Bergqvist is the premier female Swedish high jumper. She has been a champion in world class high jumping events, winning an Olympic bronze medal, a gold and two bronze medals in the World Championships and two gold in the World Indoor Championships. She holds the current world record for the indoor high jump and is the Swedish record holder in both the indoor and outdoor women’s high jump.
Track and Field is a very big sport in Europe and the premier athletes are better known and respected then rock stars. The events are carried on European TV all summer long and are sponsored lucratively. The top tiers of European athletes are wealthy and connected, but not as much as the American professional athletes. Nonetheless, there is a lot of incentive to compete.
So, when Ms. Bergqvist announced this past Monday that she was retiring from high jumping, it was surprising. There were many who thought that her slump towards the end of last year was temporary. She just turned 31 this past October and though a veteran, probably had at least a year left to continue competing as a world-class athlete.
If she had an entourage of sponsors, a manager and advisors, perhaps she would have been pressured to stay on. Kajsa was just married on this past New Year’s Eve and in her retirement announcement she felt she was entering a “new phase” in her life and no longer felt motivated to keep competing, even after last year's long break away from the sport.
We so often criticize the athlete who hangs on past their prime, staying around only to collect a check when the skills have eroded. When that happens, we then shake our collective heads in scorn and forget the events that dazzled us with their skills. So I'm tipping my hat to an athlete who was honest to her fans, her sport and most importantly, to herself by getting out of the game when the time was right.
Way to go, Kajsa Bergqvist!
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