Meike Kröger
Encyclopedia
Meike Kröger is a German
track and field
athlete who specialises in the high jump
.
, to 1.91 metres, achieved in July 2008 in Regensburg
.
Her progress stalled in the years 2006 and also 2007 because she spent the period from September 2005 to August 2006 working in an orphanage
in Bishkek
, Kyrgyzstan
. She did train with former high jumper Igor Paklin
, albeit under sub-par material conditions.
and February in Leipzig
) and then 1.93 metres outdoor, in July in Ulm
. She also began competing at international senior level and took part in two major competitions: the 2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships, where she recorded a jump of 1.85 metres in the qualifiers, and 2009 World Championships in Athletics
(which were held in her home city of Berlin
). At the World Championships she jumped close to a personal best in the qualifiers (1.92 m) and reached the high jump final
. She did not improve on this, however, and finished in eleventh place having only cleared 1.87 m.
She started the 2009–2010 indoor season with rapid improvements, scoring a new best of 1.96 m indoors at the Hochsprung mit Musik
meeting in Arnstadt
. Kröger showed even greater progression at the German Indoor Championships: she cleared 1.98 m on her third attempt, increasing the pressure on the reigning champion Ariane Friedrich
, and went further by jumping 2.00 m on her first attempt – seven centimeters higher than she had ever jumped just two months earlier. This was her second silver medal at the German Indoor Championships, having achieved the same placement in 2009. She competed at the 2010 World Indoor Championships
without reaching the final.
She is coached by Jan-Gerrit Keil, and represents the club LG Nord Berlin.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who specialises in the high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
.
Early career
She had her first success in the sport with wins at the German Junior Championships in both 2007 and 2008. In 2008 she also won the bronze medal at the German Championships. In the same year she improved her personal best from 1.82 metres, achieved in May 2005 in ZevenZeven
Zeven is a town in the district of Rotenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of around 14,000. The nearest large towns are Bremerhaven, Bremen and Hamburg. It is situated approximately 22 km northwest of Rotenburg, and 40 km northeast of Bremen...
, to 1.91 metres, achieved in July 2008 in Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
.
Her progress stalled in the years 2006 and also 2007 because she spent the period from September 2005 to August 2006 working in an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
in Bishkek
Bishkek
Bishkek , formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and the largest city of Kyrgyzstan.Bishkek is also the administrative centre of Chuy Province which surrounds the city, even though the city itself is not part of the province but rather a province-level unit of Kyrgyzstan.The name is thought to...
, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
. She did train with former high jumper Igor Paklin
Igor Paklin
Igor Paklin is a retired athlete who represented USSR and later Kyrgyzstan. He trained at Armed Forces sports society in Frunze.Competing in the high jump, he won the 1987 World Indoor Championships as well as a silver medal at the 1987 World Championships for the USSR...
, albeit under sub-par material conditions.
Breakthrough
She improved the following year, clearing 1.92 metres in two indoor meets (in January in CottbusCottbus
Cottbus is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree. As of , its population was .- History :...
and February in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
) and then 1.93 metres outdoor, in July in Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
. She also began competing at international senior level and took part in two major competitions: the 2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships, where she recorded a jump of 1.85 metres in the qualifiers, and 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
(which were held in her home city of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
). At the World Championships she jumped close to a personal best in the qualifiers (1.92 m) and reached the high jump final
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's high jump
The women's high jump event at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany was held between 18 August and 20 August 2009.Reigning champion Blanka Vlašić had spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons largely unbeaten, but high profile losses in the Olympic high jump final and the 2008 IAAF Golden League...
. She did not improve on this, however, and finished in eleventh place having only cleared 1.87 m.
She started the 2009–2010 indoor season with rapid improvements, scoring a new best of 1.96 m indoors at the Hochsprung mit Musik
Hochsprung mit Musik
The Hochsprung mit Musik is an annual indoor high jump meeting which takes place in February in Arnstadt, Germany. First held in 1977, the meeting began as a competition between mainly East German athletes...
meeting in Arnstadt
Arnstadt
Arnstadt is a town in Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany, situated on the Gera River. It is one of the oldest towns in Thuringia and is nicknamed Das Tor zum Thüringer Wald, The Gate to the Thuringian Forest....
. Kröger showed even greater progression at the German Indoor Championships: she cleared 1.98 m on her third attempt, increasing the pressure on the reigning champion Ariane Friedrich
Ariane Friedrich
Ariane Friedrich, born Tempel is a German high jumper. She won the bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships and represented Germany at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
, and went further by jumping 2.00 m on her first attempt – seven centimeters higher than she had ever jumped just two months earlier. This was her second silver medal at the German Indoor Championships, having achieved the same placement in 2009. She competed at the 2010 World Indoor Championships
2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's high jump
The women's high jump at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships was held at the ASPIRE Dome on 12 and 13 March.-Medalists:-Records:-Qualification standards:-Schedule:-Qualification:...
without reaching the final.
She is coached by Jan-Gerrit Keil, and represents the club LG Nord Berlin.
Personal bests
| Event | Best (m) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| High jump High jump The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years.... (outdoor) |
1.93 | Ulm Ulm Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and... , Germany |
4 July 2009 |
| High jump High jump The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years.... (indoor) |
2.00 | Karlsruhe Karlsruhe The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states... , Germany |
28 February 2010 |
- All information taken from IAAF profile.