Tia Hellebaut
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
16 February 1978  Antwerp
|
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Weight | 62 kg (137 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country |
Belgium
|
| Now coaching | Wim Vandeven |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Olympic finals | 1st (Beijing, 2008) |
| Personal best(s) | High jump (outdoor & indoor): 2.05 m |
|
Medal record
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| Updated on 11 August 2012. | |
Tia Hellebaut (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈti.aː ˈɦɛləbʌut]; born 16 February 1978 in Antwerp) is a retired Belgian track and field athlete, as well as a chemist, who started out in her sports career in the heptathlon, and afterwards specialized in the high jump event. She has cleared 2.05 metres both indoors and outdoors.
Hellebaut was the 2008 Olympic champion in the high jump. She was previously the European Champion in 2006 and then the European Indoor Champion in 2007. She won the gold medal in the pentathlon at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships. In addition to these medals, she has participated at the World Championships in Athletics on four occasions.
She holds the Belgian records indoor pentathlon, indoor long jump and high jump, both indoors and outdoors.
Hellebaut started as a professional athlete with Atletiek Vlaanderen in the period from 2001 to October 2005. From 1 November 2006 she again became a professional athlete, this time at Bloso. During her most successful period, Hellebaut was trained by her partner, Wim Vandeven, at her club, Atletica 84.
At the 2006 European Championships and 2007 Indoor European Championships Hellebaut won the gold medal in high jump. The 2006 victory became especially notable, when just a couple of minutes later her close friend and compatriot Kim Gevaert completed a historical sprint double. The images of both athletes celebrating their victory together, wrapped in a national flag, became part of Belgian sports history.
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