Athlete file · No. 028
NORDHAGEN
CHRISTINE
- Born
- 1971
- Hometown
- Valhalla Centre
- Province
- AB
- Weight
- 72kg
- Style
- freestyle
- Status
- OLYMPIAN
Results
Record
| Year | Event | Weight | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Jeux olympiques d'Athènes | 72kg | 5e |
| 1994 | Championnats du monde | 68kg | Or |
| 1996 | Championnats du monde | 68kg | Or |
Biography
Christine Nordhagen (born June 26, 1971) stands as a pioneer of women’s wrestling worldwide and a Canadian legend. A native of Alberta, Nordhagen came to wrestling late, at 20, and quickly rose to the elite ranks. A graduate of the University of Alberta, she amassed ten Canadian national titles and dominated her weight class for two decades.
Six-time world champion (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001), Nordhagen set a standard of excellence unmatched in Canadian women’s wrestling. In 1997 the international wrestling federation named her the world’s best female athlete. Competing at Athens 2004 during the first Olympic women’s wrestling tournament, she finished fifth, contributing historically to the sport’s Olympic integration.
In 2006 Nordhagen received the highest honour: the first Canadian and first woman inducted into the FILA (now United World Wrestling) Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum in 2010, leaving a legacy of trailblazing excellence.