SSHoF logoBobbi Thoen Waldner

Athlete (2006)

Athletics

Bobbi Thoen WaldnerBobbi Waldner was a dominating high jumper among women in Canada, winning at the Saskatchewan high school level, setting a University of Saskatchewan record which still stands today, and competing for Canada at least a dozen times.

Bobbi was born in Saskatoon, began competing in school track meets at the age of six and at first, participated in the sprints, jumps and throws.

She was presented with the gold medal at the 1986 Saskatchewan high school championships, one of six provincial championships she won for the Saskatoon district.

In her first Canada West university championships in 1987, she finished third with a height of 1.69 metres in the meet at Edmonton. She was a member of the University of Saskatchewan team, which won the Canada West title in 1987-88. Bobbi's 1987 season also included a performance at the Western Canada Summer Games where she won the high jump at 1.70 metres.

She received the Valerie Gersberger trophy at the university's awards banquet, a fitting tribute to an athlete who won three Canada West gold medals, was twice a medallist at the Canadian finals and set the University of Saskatchewan record at 1.81 metres.

Bobbi also competed in the 1989 Jeux Canada Summer Games, which were held in Saskatoon, and she won a silver medal with a height of 1.79 metres.

She was a member of the 1988 Canada Espoir team, which competed against athletes from France, West Germany and Poland.

During the 1992 season, Bobbi reached a personal best of 1.85 metres at the Harry Jerome Invitational, and she came back to Saskatchewan to reach another personal best of 1.86 metres.

As an eight-time medallist at Canadian senior championships, she also became a member of the Canadian team at the Jeux de la Francophone Games in Paris, France, where she placed fifth with a jump of 1.82 metres.

One of her most memorable performances occurred at the 1995 Harry Jerome Invitational meet where she competed against and beat Olympic champion Jackie Joyner-Kearse with a height of 1.78 metres.