Career
Her world record of 2.09 metres has stood since 1987. She has been the president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee since 2005. Born in Plovdiv, Kostadinova went to a specialist sports school, but was only introduced to high jump in a Year Six (12-13 year olds) athletics meet in Sofia, on a day she is quoted as saying she would never forget (on TransWorldSport interview in 2012).
She jumped 1.66m and was informed that it was a world record for her age group.
Equivalent to the adult female world record in 1941: See Women"s high jump world record progression
Kostadinova is the reigning world record holder in the women"s high jump at 2.09 m, which she jumped during the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome. Her world record is one of the oldest in modern athletics.
Altogether Kostadinova set seven world records - three outdoors and four indoors. She also holds the women"s world record for having jumped over 2.00 m 197 times.
After retiring Kostadinova started a career in sports administration.
She has served as vice president of the Bulgarian Athletics Federation, vice president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee and was deputy sports minister of Bulgaria from 2003 through 2005. On November 11, 2005 Kostadinova was elected president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee. She replaced Ivan Slavkov, who was expelled by the International Olympic Committee for violating its standards in ethics.
