Heather Bergsma American speed skater
Heather Bergsma
2016 WSD Speed Skating Championships
Born Heather Richardson (1989-03-20 ) March 20, 1989 (age 37) Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) Weight 149 lb (68 kg) Spouse
Jorrit Bergsma Country United States Sport Speed skating
Heather Bergsma (née Richardson ; born March 20, 1989) is an American former speed skater who competed between 2006 and 2020.
Career
Bergsma is a native of North Carolina . She represented the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver , where she finished 6th in 500 metres, 9th in the 1000 metres, and 16th in the 1500 metres.[ 1] At the 2011 World Single Distance Championships in Inzell , 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 the 2013 World Sprint Championships in Salt Lake City , United States.[ 5] She has since won several world championship medals,[ 6] and earned numerous podium placings in the World Cup .[ 7] At the 2018 Winter Olympics , she won the bronze medal in the team 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 the 1500 metres world record from 2015 to 2019,[ 10] and also briefly held the 1000 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]
Personal life
Bergsma married Dutch speed skater and marathon skater Jorrit Bergsma in May 2015, and competed as Heather Richardson-Bergsma the following season.[ 14]
Speed skating
Records
Personal records
Personal records[ 14]
Women's speed skating
Event
Result
Date
Location
Notes
500 m 36.90 November 16, 2013 Utah Olympic Oval , Salt Lake CityAmerican record until beaten by Erin 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 by Miho 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
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 CityCurrent world record.[ 9]
1000 m 1:12.51 November 14, 2015 Olympic Oval , CalgaryWorld record until beaten by Brittany Bowe on November 22, 2015.[ 11]
1500 m 1:50.85 November 21, 2015 Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City World record until beaten by Miho Takagi on March 10, 2019.[ 10]
Sprint comb. 147.735 January 19–20, 2013 Olympic Oval, Calgary World record until beaten by Nao Kodaira on February 25–26, 2017.[ 12]
Results timeline
Note: NC = No classification.
[ 6] [ 7]
References
↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill ; et al. "Heather Richardson" . Olympics at Sports-Reference.com . Sports Reference LLC . Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2012 .
↑ "ESSENT ISU WORLD DISTANCES CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011 – Result 1000m Ladies – Rankings as of Mar 12 2011 12:48PM" . International Skating Union. March 12, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2013 .
↑ "ESSENT ISU WORLD DISTANCES CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011 – Result 500m Ladies – Rankings as of Mar 13 2011 1:43PM" . International Skating Union. March 13, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2013 .
↑ "ESSENT ISU WORLD DISTANCES CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011 – Result Team Pursuit Ladies – Rankings as of Mar 13 2011 4:20PM" . International Skating Union. March 13, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2013 .
↑ "Essent ISU World Sprint Championships 2013 – Classification Ladies – Rankings as of Jan 27 2013 3:58PM" . International Skating Union. January 27, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2013 .
1 2 "Heather Richardson" . www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved September 8, 2023 .
1 2 "Heather Richardson" . www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved September 8, 2023 .
1 2 "National Records – United States (USA) – Women's 500m" . www.speedskatingresults.com. Retrieved September 8, 2023 .
1 2 3 "Evolution of the world record 2x500 meters Women" . www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved January 11, 2016 .
1 2 3 "Evolution of the world record 1500 meters Women" . www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved January 24, 2020 .
1 2 "Evolution of the world record 1000 meters Women" . www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved November 22, 2015 .
1 2 "Evolution of the world record Sprint combination Women" . www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved April 28, 2017 .
↑ "Heather Bergsma, world champion speed skater, retires" . NBC Sports . February 18, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020 .
1 2 "Heather Bergsma" . www.speedskatingresults.com. Retrieved April 28, 2017 .
↑ "Heather Richardson" . www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved January 11, 2016 .
External links
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 byCurrent 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