A 1.93-metre high jump cleared in Cali on 22 July 2005 remains the official Colombian record for the event. This achievement serves as a technical benchmark for the career of Caterine Ibargüen, a Colombian athlete whose multidisciplinary versatility spanned high jump, long jump, and triple jump throughout an international career that concluded in 2021.
Early Development and Training
Born in 1984 in Apartadó, Ibargüen was raised in the Urabá region of Antioquia. Following the separation of her parents due to regional armed conflict, her grandmother oversaw her upbringing. Her initial interest in athletics involved volleyball before she transitioned to structured track and field training. In 1996, she relocated to Medellín to work with Cuban coach Jorge Luis Alfaro at the Atanasio Girardot Sports Complex, focusing primarily on high jump techniques.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Professional Progression and Triple Jump
Ibargüen appeared at the 2004 Athens Olympics, clearing 1.85 metres in the qualifying stage. Following this early international exposure, she eventually shifted her primary focus toward the triple jump. Under the guidance of coach Ubaldo Duany, a former Cuban long jumper, she achieved significant results. On 1 September 2011, she secured a bronze medal at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu with a 14.84-metre performance. Her trajectory continued with a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a victory at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow.
International Dominance
In July 2014, she set a South American triple jump record of 15.31 metres in Monaco, a mark that held until September 2019. Her competitive success included gold medals at the 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Beyond her jumping prowess, her diverse skill set included heptathlon events, where she earned 5,742 points, and recorded personal bests in shot put, javelin, and sprinting disciplines.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout her career, Ibargüen received the Deportista del Año award in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2018. In 2018, she was named the IAAF Female Athlete of the Year. Her contributions to national sport were formally recognized on 12 December 2018, when she was awarded the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit by the Colombian government. She retired from professional competition in August 2021.
Fast facts
- Born: 1984, Apartadó, Colombia
- Primary specialties: Triple jump, long jump, high jump
- High jump personal best: 1.93 metres
- Triple jump personal best: 15.31 metres
- 2016 Olympic result: Gold medal
- 2012 Olympic result: Silver medal
- 2018 IAAF award: Female athlete of the year
- Retirement: August 2021
Questions readers ask
What is Caterine Ibargüen's current status in athletics?
She announced her retirement from professional athletics in August 2021.
Which major awards has she received?
She won the Deportista del Año award five times and the 2018 IAAF Female Athlete of the Year title, and she received the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit in 2018.
Achievements
- Competed at 2004 Summer Olympics, athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – women's triple jump and athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – women's triple jump
- Discipline: athletics
