 2016 WSD Speed Skating Championships | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | Heather Richardson (1989-03-20)March 20, 1989 (age 36) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 149 lb (68 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | Jorrit Bergsma | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Speed skating | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Heather Bergsma (néeRichardson; born March 20, 1989) is an American formerspeed skater who competed between 2006 and 2020.
Bergsma is a native ofNorth Carolina. She represented the United States at the2010 Winter Olympics inVancouver, where she finished 6th in 500 metres, 9th in the 1000 metres, and 16th in the 1500 metres.[1] At the2011 World Single Distance Championships inInzell, Germany, she won a bronze medal in the 1000 metres.[2] She also placed 8th in the 500 metres,[3] and was part of the team pursuit team that finished in 8th place.[4]
On January 26–27, 2013, Bergsma won the gold medal at the2013 World Sprint Championships inSalt Lake City, United States.[5] She has since won several world championship medals,[6] and earned numerous podium placings in theWorld Cup.[7] At the2018 Winter Olympics, she won the bronze medal in theteam pursuit.
Bergsma held the American record on the 500 metres distance from 2011 to 2021.[8] She is the current world record holder in the 2 x 500 meters,[9] and held the1500 metres world record from 2015 to 2019,[10] and also briefly held the1000 metres world record in November 2015,[11] and the sprint combination world record from 2013 to 2017.[12]
She announced her retirement from skating in February 2020.[13]
Bergsma married Dutch speed skater and marathon skaterJorrit Bergsma in May 2015, and competed as Heather Richardson-Bergsma the following season.[14]
| Personal records[14] | ||||
| Women's speed skating | ||||
| Event | Result | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 36.90 | November 16, 2013 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | American record until beaten byErin Jackson on December 3, 2021.[8] |
| 2 x 500 m | 74.190 | December 28, 2013 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | Current world record.[9] |
| 1000 m | 1:12.28 | February 26, 2017 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | |
| 1500 m | 1:50.85 | November 21, 2015 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | World record until beaten byMiho Takagi on March 10, 2019.[10] |
| 3000 m | 4:05.00 | March 7, 2015 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | |
| 5000 m | 7:20.27 | March 8, 2015 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | |
| World records[15] | ||||
| Women's speed skating | ||||
| Event | Result | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 x 500 m | 74.190 | December 28, 2013 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | Current world record.[9] |
| 1000 m | 1:12.51 | November 14, 2015 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | World record until beaten byBrittany Bowe on November 22, 2015.[11] |
| 1500 m | 1:50.85 | November 21, 2015 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | World record until beaten byMiho Takagi on March 10, 2019.[10] |
| Sprint comb. | 147.735 | January 19–20, 2013 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | World record until beaten byNao Kodaira on February 25–26, 2017.[12] |
| Season | World Sprint | World SD | World Cup | Olympic Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | 25th | Did not participate | 53rd500 m NC1000 m | Not held |
| 2008–09 | 20th | 16th2x500 m 15th1000 m | NC100 m 28th500 m 22nd1000 m NC1500 m | |
| 2009–10 | Did not participate | Not held | 9th500 m 9th1000 m | 6th2x500 m 9th1000 m 16th1500 m |
| 2010–11 | 4th | 6th2x500 m 1000 m8thteam pursuit | 4th500 m 1000 m14th1500 m | Not held |
| 2011–12 | 6th | 4th2x500 m 4th1000 m 8thteam pursuit | 9th500 m 1000 m21st1500 m | |
| 2012–13 | | 8th2x500 m 6th1000 m | 5th500 m1000 m 33rd1500 m | |
| 2013–14 | | Not held | 500 m1000 m 17th1500 m 1stGWC | 8th2x500 m 7th1000 m 7th1500 m 6thteam pursuit |
| 2014–15 | | 2x500 m1000 m1500 m | 500 m 5th1000 m 1500 m30th3k/5k 18thmass start 1stGWC | Not held |
| 2015–16 | | 5th2x500 m1000 m1500 m 13thmass start | 500 m1000 m1500 m 6thmass start |
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Women's sprint combination speed skating world record January 20, 2013 – February 26, 2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Women's 2 x 500 m speed skating world record December 28, 2013 – present | Succeeded by Current holder |
| Preceded by | Women's 1000 m speed skating world record November 14, 2015 – November 22, 2015 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Women's 1500 m speed skating world record November 21, 2015 – March 10, 2019 | Succeeded by |
