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Heather Bergsma

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"Heather Richardson" redirects here. For the historian and writer, see Heather Cox Richardson.

Heather Bergsma
2016 WSD Speed Skating Championships
Personal information
Birth nameHeather Richardson
Born (1989-03-20) March 20, 1989 (age 35)
High Point, North Carolina, U.S.
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight149 lb (68 kg)
SpouseJorrit Bergsma
Sport
Country United States
SportSpeed skating
Medal record
Women's speed skating
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Pyeongchang Team pursuit
World Sprint Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Salt Lake City Sprint
Silver medal – second place 2015 Astana Sprint
Silver medal – second place 2016 Seoul Sprint
Silver medal – second place 2017 Calgary Sprint
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Nagano Sprint
World Single Distances Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Heerenveen 500 m
Gold medal – first place 2017 Gangneung 1000 m
Gold medal – first place 2017 Gangneung 1500 m
Silver medal – second place 2015 Heerenveen 1000 m
Silver medal – second place 2016 Kolomna 1000 m
Silver medal – second place 2016 Kolomna 1500 m
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Inzell 1000 m
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Heerenveen 1500 m
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Gangneung Mass start

Heather Bergsma (née Richardson; born March 20, 1989) is an American former speed skater who competed between 2006 and 2020.

Career

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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

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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

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Records

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Personal records

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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 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

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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 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

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Season World Sprint World SD World Cup Olympic Games
2007–08 25th Did not
participate		 53rd 500 m
NC 1000 m		 Not held
2008–09 20th 16th 2x500 m
15th 1000 m		 NC 100 m
28th 500 m
22nd 1000 m
NC 1500 m
2009–10 Did not
participate		 Not held 9th 500 m
9th 1000 m		 6th 2x500 m
9th 1000 m
16th 1500 m
2010–11 4th 6th 2x500 m
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 1000 m
8th team pursuit		 4th 500 m
1st place, gold medalist(s) 1000 m
14th 1500 m		 Not held
2011–12 6th 4th 2x500 m
4th 1000 m
8th team pursuit		 9th 500 m
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1000 m
21st 1500 m
2012–13 1st place, gold medalist(s) 8th 2x500 m
6th 1000 m		 5th 500 m
1st place, gold medalist(s) 1000 m
33rd 1500 m
2013–14 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Not held 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 500 m
1st place, gold medalist(s) 1000 m
17th 1500 m
1st GWC		 8th 2x500 m
7th 1000 m
7th 1500 m
6th team pursuit
2014–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2x500 m
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1000 m
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 1500 m		 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 500 m
5th 1000 m
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1500 m
30th 3k/5k
18th mass start
1st GWC		 Not held
2015–16 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 5th 2x500 m
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1000 m
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1500 m
13th mass start		 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 500 m
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1000 m
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1500 m
6th mass start
Note: NC = No classification.

[6][7]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ a b "Heather Richardson". www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Heather Richardson". www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "National Records – United States (USA) – Women's 500m". www.speedskatingresults.com. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Evolution of the world record 2x500 meters Women". www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c "Evolution of the world record 1500 meters Women". www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Evolution of the world record 1000 meters Women". www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Evolution of the world record Sprint combination Women". www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  13. ^ "Heather Bergsma, world champion speed skater, retires". NBC Sports. February 18, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Heather Bergsma". www.speedskatingresults.com. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  15. ^ "Heather Richardson". www.speedskatingstats.com. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
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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
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