Ingrid Kristiansen
Encyclopedia
Ingrid Kristiansen née Christensen (born 21 March 1956 in Trondheim
, Norway
), was one of the best female long distance runners
in the second half of the 1980s. She finished in fourth place in the first women's Olympic marathon race
, at the 1984 Summer Olympics
.
and the London Marathon
in 1984, she placed fourth in the first Olympic women's marathon in Los Angeles. She also set two track world records in the 5,000m (14:58.9) and the 10,000m (30:59.14) at the Bislett Games
in Oslo.
In 1985 she won the London Marathon again in a new world record of 2:21:06, smashing Joan Benoit
's world record of 2:22:43, set in the Boston Marathon
in 1983. Later that year she lost to Joan Benoit in the Chicago Marathon
, running 2:23:05 for second place.
1986 was Kristiansen's best year in track. After she won the Boston Marathon in hot conditions, she set a new world record in the 10,000m (30:13.3), smashing her own world record from 1984. Then she broke the 5,000m world record, running 14:37.89. After that she broke the half marathon world record in Sandnes, running 1:06:40, but the course was not certified and the record still remained Joan Benoit's. She won the Chicago Marathon, once again in hot and humid conditions, running 2:27:08. She ended the year winning the European Championships 10,000m gold medal, running the 2nd fastest time ever (30:23.3) and nearly 40 seconds ahead of the second place finisher.
In 1987 Kristiansen attempted to break her marathon world record in London, but she slowed in the second half and won in 2:22:48. She won the first World Championships Women's 10,000m in Rome, despite a leg injury that hindered her performance.
Healed from the injury, in 1988 she won the London Marathon for the fourth time, finishing in a time of 2:25:41. Despite a 1:09 first half, she slowed dramatically in the second half, however she was still five minutes ahead of any other woman. At the Olympic Games in Seoul, she participated in the 10,000m, and even though she was the heavy favourite, she dropped out after seven laps with a fractured bone in her foot.
She returned to racing in 1989 with a win in the Boston Marathon, running 2:24:33 despite the heat in the latter stages. She decided to not run any track races that year, but she still won a few road races in Europe. Her final marathon was the 1989 New York City Marathon, which she won in a time of 2:25:30, running away with it from the start. Gradually she raced less and less, despite winning the 1990 City-Pier-City Loop in the Hague. She retired in 1993.
Now she cross country skis often and lives with her two children and husband in Oslo, Norway. Along with Grete Waitz
, she opened up a new generation of Norwegian runners. She was known for carrying out a big deal of her training on the treadmill, along with laughing often before a race.
Note: The 1987 World Road Race Championship was held in November while the 1988 edition was held in March.
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
), was one of the best female long distance runners
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
in the second half of the 1980s. She finished in fourth place in the first women's Olympic marathon race
Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Women's marathon
The Women's Marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California was held on August 5, 1984. It was the first ever marathon for women in the history of the Olympic Games. The race started on 08.00h local time. A total number of 44 athletes completed the race, with Eleonora Mendonca...
, at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
.
Career
Kristiansen started her career quite unremarkably, running 2:30 - 2:40 for her first few marathons. It was not until she gave birth to her first son, Gaute, that she began to improve. After winning the Houston MarathonHouston Marathon
The Houston Marathon is an annual marathon held every January in Houston, Texas. With thousands of runners and spectators, it is the largest single day sporting event in the city. It is run concurrently with a half marathon and a 5 km race...
and the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
in 1984, she placed fourth in the first Olympic women's marathon in Los Angeles. She also set two track world records in the 5,000m (14:58.9) and the 10,000m (30:59.14) at the Bislett Games
Bislett Games
The Bislett Games is an annual track and field event at the Bislett Stadion in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It is sponsored by ExxonMobil and officially known as the ExxonMobil Bislett Games.-History:The first...
in Oslo.
In 1985 she won the London Marathon again in a new world record of 2:21:06, smashing Joan Benoit
Joan Benoit
Joan Benoit Samuelson is an American marathon runner, who won gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the year that the women's marathon was introduced. As a result she was the first ever women's Olympic marathon champion. Benoit Samuelson still holds the fastest times for an American...
's world record of 2:22:43, set in the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
in 1983. Later that year she lost to Joan Benoit in the Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
, running 2:23:05 for second place.
1986 was Kristiansen's best year in track. After she won the Boston Marathon in hot conditions, she set a new world record in the 10,000m (30:13.3), smashing her own world record from 1984. Then she broke the 5,000m world record, running 14:37.89. After that she broke the half marathon world record in Sandnes, running 1:06:40, but the course was not certified and the record still remained Joan Benoit's. She won the Chicago Marathon, once again in hot and humid conditions, running 2:27:08. She ended the year winning the European Championships 10,000m gold medal, running the 2nd fastest time ever (30:23.3) and nearly 40 seconds ahead of the second place finisher.
In 1987 Kristiansen attempted to break her marathon world record in London, but she slowed in the second half and won in 2:22:48. She won the first World Championships Women's 10,000m in Rome, despite a leg injury that hindered her performance.
Healed from the injury, in 1988 she won the London Marathon for the fourth time, finishing in a time of 2:25:41. Despite a 1:09 first half, she slowed dramatically in the second half, however she was still five minutes ahead of any other woman. At the Olympic Games in Seoul, she participated in the 10,000m, and even though she was the heavy favourite, she dropped out after seven laps with a fractured bone in her foot.
She returned to racing in 1989 with a win in the Boston Marathon, running 2:24:33 despite the heat in the latter stages. She decided to not run any track races that year, but she still won a few road races in Europe. Her final marathon was the 1989 New York City Marathon, which she won in a time of 2:25:30, running away with it from the start. Gradually she raced less and less, despite winning the 1990 City-Pier-City Loop in the Hague. She retired in 1993.
Now she cross country skis often and lives with her two children and husband in Oslo, Norway. Along with Grete Waitz
Grete Waitz
Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history...
, she opened up a new generation of Norwegian runners. She was known for carrying out a big deal of her training on the treadmill, along with laughing often before a race.
Achievements
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Stockholm Marathon Stockholm Marathon The Stockholm Marathon, known as the ASICS Stockholm Marathon for sponsorship reasons, is an annual marathon arranged in Stockholm, Sweden since 1979. It serves as the Swedish marathon championship race... |
Stockholm, Sweden | 1st | Marathon | 2:38:45 |
| 1981 | Stockholm Marathon Stockholm Marathon The Stockholm Marathon, known as the ASICS Stockholm Marathon for sponsorship reasons, is an annual marathon arranged in Stockholm, Sweden since 1979. It serves as the Swedish marathon championship race... |
Stockholm, Sweden | 1st | Marathon | 2:41:34 |
| New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
New York, United States | 2nd | Marathon | 2:30:08 | |
| 1982 | Stockholm Marathon Stockholm Marathon The Stockholm Marathon, known as the ASICS Stockholm Marathon for sponsorship reasons, is an annual marathon arranged in Stockholm, Sweden since 1979. It serves as the Swedish marathon championship race... |
Stockholm, Sweden | 1st | Marathon | 2:34:26 |
| European Championships 1982 European Championships in Athletics The 13th European Athletics Championships were held from 6 September to 12 September 1982 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.-Track:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |1990 |-Field:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |1990 |-Track:1974 |1978 |1982 |1986 |... |
Athens, Greece | 3rd | Marathon | 2:36:38 | |
| New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
New York, United States | 5th | Marathon | 2:33:36 | |
| 1983 | Houston Marathon Houston Marathon The Houston Marathon is an annual marathon held every January in Houston, Texas. With thousands of runners and spectators, it is the largest single day sporting event in the city. It is run concurrently with a half marathon and a 5 km race... |
Houston, United States Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... |
1st | Marathon | 2:33:27 |
| 1984 | World Cross Country Championships 1984 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 12th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 25, 1984 in the Meadowlands Sports Complex . There were a total number of 442 participating athletes from 40 countries.- Individual :- Team :... |
New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
4th | ||
| London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
London, United Kingdom | 1st | Marathon | 2:24:26 | |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:... |
Los Angeles, United States Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... |
4th | Marathon | 2:27:14 | |
| Houston Marathon Houston Marathon The Houston Marathon is an annual marathon held every January in Houston, Texas. With thousands of runners and spectators, it is the largest single day sporting event in the city. It is run concurrently with a half marathon and a 5 km race... |
Houston, United States Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... |
1st | Marathon | 2:27:51 | |
| 1985 | World Cross Country Championships 1985 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 13th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 24, 1985 in Lisbon, Portugal. There were a total number of 570 participating athletes from 50 countries.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :... |
Lisbon, Portugal | 3rd | ||
| London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
London, United Kingdom | 1st | Marathon | 2:21:06 | |
| Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race... |
Chicago, United States | 2nd | Marathon | 2:23:05 | |
| 1986 | Boston Marathon Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest... |
Boston, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:24:55 |
| European Championships | Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990.... |
1st | 10,000 m | 30:23.25 | |
| Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race... |
Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
1st | Marathon | 2:27:08 | |
| 1987 | World Cross Country Champiuonships 1987 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 15th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 22, 1987 in Warsaw, Poland. There were a total number of 576 participating athletes from 47 countries.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :... |
Warsaw, Poland | 3rd | ||
| London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
London, United Kingdom | 1st | Marathon | 2:22:48 | |
| World Championships 1987 World Championships in Athletics The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995... |
Rome, Italy | 1st | 10,000 m | 31:05.85 | |
| World Womens Road Race Championships | Monte Carlo, Monaco | 1st | 15km | 47:17 | |
| 1988 | World Womens Road Race Championships | Adelaide, Australia | 1st | 15km | 48:24 |
| World Cross Country Championships 1988 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 16th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 26, 1988 at the Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**... |
Auckland, New Zealand | 1st | |||
| London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,... |
London, United Kingdom | 1st | Marathon | 2:25:41 | |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul a total number of 42 events in athletics were contested: 24 by men and 18 by women. There were a total number of 1617 participating athletes from 149 countries.-Men's events:... |
Seoul, South Korea | — | 10,000 m | DNF Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Women's 10000 metres The Women's 10,000m at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entrylist of 43 competitors, with two qualifying heats before the final took place on Friday September 30, 1988.-Records:... |
|
| 1989 | Boston Marathon Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest... |
Boston, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:24:33 |
| New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010... |
New York, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:25:30 | |
| 1991 | World Championships 1991 World Championships in Athletics The 3rd World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan between August 23 and September 1 and athletes from 167 countries participated in the event.The event is best-remembered for the... |
Tokyo, Japan | 7th | 10,000 m | 32:10.75 |
Note: The 1987 World Road Race Championship was held in November while the 1988 edition was held in March.
- 5 world records in track (5000/10,000 metres)
- 24 individual Norwegian championships
- 1992 Egebergs ÆresprisEgebergs ÆresprisThe Egebergs Ærespris is a prize awarded to Norwegian athletes who excel in more than one sport. The prize was created by Ferdinand Julian Egeberg, and consists of a bronze statuette modelled by sculptor Magnus Vigrestad.-History:...
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3000 m | 8:34.10 | 13 August 1986 | Zurich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... |
| 5000m | 14:37.33 | 5 August 1986 | Stockholm Stockholm Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... |
| 10000 m | 30:13.74 | 5 July 1986 | Oslo Oslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King... |
| 10 km (road) | 30:59 | 9 April 1989 | Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... |
| 15 km (road) | 47:17 | 21 November 1987 | Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
| Half Marathon | 1:06:40 | 19 March 1987 | Sandnes Sandnes is a city and municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the region of Jæren.-History:Sandnes was separated from Høyland as a municipality of its own in 1860, and gained city status the same year... |
| Marathon | 2:21:06 | 21 April 1985 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |