Kerstin Szymkowiak (born Kerstin Jürgens on 19 December 1977 in
Siegen
Siegen () is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly sho ...
) is a German retired
skeleton racer who has competed since 2002. She won three bronze medals in the women's skeleton event, earning them in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
,
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, and
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
.
Her best overall seasonal finish in the women's
Skeleton World Cup title was third in 2004-5.
Jürgens married after the
2007-08 Skeleton World Cup season and has been competing since in the
2008-09 Skeleton World Cup season under her married name. She finished second behind
defending world champion Anja Huber
Anja Huber (born 20 May 1983 in Berchtesgaden) is a German skeleton racer who has competed since 2003. She earned two gold medals at the 2008 FIBT World Championships in Altenberg, Germany, winning them in women's skeleton and the mixed bobslei ...
of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
in the season opener at
Winterberg
Winterberg ( Westphalian: ''Winnenmerg'') is a town in the Hochsauerland district of North Rhine-Westphalia, central Germany and a major winter sport resort of the Wintersport Arena Sauerland.
Geography
Winterberg is located in the middle of ...
on November 28, 2008.
Szymkowiak's nickname is the "Ice Tiger" (Eistiger in
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
). She earned the silver medal at the
2010 Winter Olympics
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gretz ...
in Vancouver.
After retiring from the sport Szymkowiak was appointed an Athlete Role Model for the
2012 Winter Youth Olympics
The 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games (german: Olympische Jugend-Winterspiele 2012), officially known as the I Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG), were an international multi-sport event for youths that took place in Innsbruck, Austria, on 13–22 J ...
in
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol (state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the ...
.
In May 2012 the Swiss bobsleigh and skeleton federation announced that Szymkowiak had been elected as head of their skeleton section.
Szymkowiak's husband Philippe is a massage therapist for the Swiss national bobsleigh team. She gave birth to a daughter, Noalie, in September 2010.
References
External links
*
*
*
*
"German Sweep Women's Skeleton in Altenberg" International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation. 18 December 2009. Accessed 18 December 2009.
*
*
1977 births
Living people
German female skeleton racers
Olympic skeleton racers of Germany
Skeleton racers at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Olympic silver medalists for Germany
Olympic medalists in skeleton
Medalists at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Universiade medalists in skeleton
Sportspeople from Siegen
Universiade bronze medalists for Germany
Competitors at the 2005 Winter Universiade
20th-century German women
21st-century German women
{{Skeleton-bio-stub