Hestrie Cloete

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Olympic medal record
Women's athletics
Silver	2000 Sydney	High Jump
Silver	2004 Athens	High Jump

Hestrie Cloete-Storbeck (born August 26, 1978 in Germiston, South Africa) is a highly successful high jumper.

[edit] Biography

Cloete grew up in the small railway town of Coligny with her mother Martie and father Willem. She was discovered at an age of 13 by her long-time coach Martin Marx, and trained at the Lichtenburg High School early in her career. She was quickly found to have a very strong will, which had given other coaches trouble coaching her. She married her current husband Andries Cloete at the age of 19. Hestrie has always put a great significance in maintaining a strong mind, and explained that she finds much of that strength in her faith. In 2003, she was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver (OIS) by South African president Thabo Mbeki for excellence in her sports performances.

Cloete has somewhat unusual habits as she is known to smoke about a pack of cigarettes a day, and has also stated she loves fast food. Also, before every jump, she spins her index fingers around each other. This is thought to be an attempt to focus and to help her visualize clearing the bar.

Cloete has spoken of plans to retire after the 2004 Summer Olympics to focus on her family, and indeed she hasn't competed internationally since 2004.

[edit] Achievements

Hestrie's awarded international achievements follows below. Her high jump personal best as of August 31, 2003 is 2.06 m.

Championship	Year	Height	Medal
Olympic Games	2004	2.02 m	Silver
Olympic Games	2000	2.01 m	Silver
World Championships in Athletics	2003	2.06 m	Gold
World Championships in Athletics	2001	2.00 m	Gold
World Cup in Athletics	2002	2.02 m	Gold
Commonwealth Games	2002	1.96 m	Gold
African Championships	2004	1.95 m	Gold