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| Native name | Стефка Георгиева Костадинова[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Stefka Georgieva Kostadinova[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Bulgarian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1965-03-25)25 March 1965 (age 60)[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 | High jump | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1985 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic finals | 1st (Atlanta, 1996) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest world ranking | 1st (Rome, 1987) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personalbest(s) | High jump outdoor: 2.09 m indoor: 2.06 m[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Stefka Georgieva Kostadinova (Bulgarian:Стефка Георгиева Костадинова; born 25 March 1965) is a Bulgarian formerathlete who competed in thehigh jump. Herworld record of 2.09 metres stood since 1987 until being broken byYaroslava Mahuchikh in 2024.[3] She is the1996 Olympic champion, a two-timeWorld champion, and a five-timeWorld Indoor champion. She has been the president of theBulgarian Olympic Committee since 2005.[4]
Born inPlovdiv, 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 was reigningworld record holder in the women's high jump until July 2024. She set a world record of 2.09 m at the1987 World Championships in Athletics inRome. 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 the1996 Summer Olympics inAtlanta, setting an Olympic record of 2.05 m. She also won a silver medal at the1988 Summer Olympics inSeoul. Kostadinova won the outdoorWorld Championships in 1987 and1995. She won theWorld 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 inStuttgart in 1986 and a four-time European indoor champion in 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1994.
Kostadinova was voted theBulgarian Sportsperson of the Year four times, in 1985, 1987, 1995 and 1996. She was also named theBTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year five times, in 1985, 1987, 1995, 1996, and 1997.[5]
In 1995 Kostadinova gave birth to her son, Nikolay, just several months before winning gold in the1995 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.[6]
After retiring Kostadinova started a career in sports administration. She has served as vice president of theBulgarian 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 replacedIvan Slavkov, who was expelled by theInternational Olympic Committee for violating its standards in ethics.
| Records | ||
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| Preceded by | Women's High Jump World Record Holder 1 June 1986 – 7 July 2024 | Succeeded by |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by | President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee 11 November 2005 – | Succeeded by |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by | Women's High Jump Best Year Performance 1985 – 1988 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Women's High Jump Best Year Performance 1992 – 1993 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Women's High Jump Best Year Performance 1996 – 1997 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Women's Bulgarian National Champion 1985 — 1988 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Women's Bulgarian National Champion 1991 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Women's Bulgarian National Champion 1996 | Succeeded by |
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European Athletics Championships champions in women'shigh jump | |
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| People | |
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