4th November 2009 09:52
When the European Athletics jury selected Thordis Gisladottir to receive the inaugural European Athletics Women's Leadership Award at the European Athletics Awards Night presented by Mondo, it hardly came as a shock to those who know her.
But the modest Gisladottir, who had earlier been selected for the national level award by the Icelandic federation, had no expectation that she would be chosen the represent all the 24 national laureates in Budapest.
'To tell you the truth, I was surprised but I am very happy to receive this honour. I'm thankful for this award, which is for sure one of the biggest recognitions I have received in my career,' Gisladottir told www.european-athletics.org.
At 48, Gisladottir, has long been one of the leading lights in Icelandic athletics. In a sports career spanning four decades she has donned several caps with distinction - top level high jumper, coach, teacher, researcher in sport related issues and member of various committees within the sports movement.
The two-time Olympian who still holds the national record in the high jump has many pioneering credits to her name. She was both the first Icelandic woman to attend university in the USA on a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) scholarship and the youngest athlete to represent Iceland at the Olympic Games.
She went on to captain the national women's athletics team for 15 years and represented her country at six World Championships, two European Athletics Championships and 13 European Cups.
Gisladottir's achievements in her professional field are no less impressive than her sports achievements. With more than 16 years of teaching experience at every level from primary school to university, she has become one of the authorities on sports education in Iceland.
Now an assistant professor, she chairs the academic committee of the Department of Health and Education at the Reykjavik University and has led research projects on sport in Icelandic schools and the socio-economic impact of sport in the county.
Since her retirement from competition, Gisladottir has dedicated twenty years to successfully coaching athletes of all levels and age groups. She presently coaches jumpers at Reykjavik Sports Club, winners of both the national team championship and the national team cup in 2009.
And as if that is not enough, she had given her time and expertise as a member of a number of committees, including the national Olympic committee's Reform Committee for Women in Sport and the Development Committee of the Icelandic national youth association.
'I have known Thordis for over thirty years and I can say she is the most dedicated and motivated person I have met in the sport,' says the former president of the Icelandic athletics federation Jonas Egilsson.
'Because she is so focused and demanding of herself, people listen to her, but she is also reasonable. She is exactly what you would expect in a leader and in a role model for young people.'
Gisladottir is quick to attribute her success in all fields of her life to others who have helped along the way, including her husband Thrainn, a former decathlete who is also the head coach at the Reykjavik Sports Club.
'A contributing factor is what I have learned from good coaches and from the sport itself,' she says. 'For example, the work ethic that you learn in athletics by training, competing and interacting with people, is a valuable experience.'
'But my greatest motivation and encouragement comes from my husband. He has inspired me to contribute to the sport after my athletic career.'
Gisladottir is of the opinion that women have as much to give athletics in leadership roles as they have done over the years as athletes.
'It is my strong belief that all committees and organisations, both at national and international levels, would benefit from the input from both sexes,' she says. 'It is important that women with knowledge of the sport give their time and effort and in return the organisations in the sport should offer the opportunities to contribute.'
She hopes that the European Athletics' women's leadership awards will prove instrumental in encouraging more participation from women.
'I believe this award will encourage women to work for athletics and to give their valuable experience back to the sport.'
In her acceptance speech in Budapest, Gisladottir advocated the creation of a network of former women athletes and other volunteers that could share ideas, experiences and encourage women to work together for the benefit of athletics.
'Such a network could help women take their first steps into leadership roles in the sport,' she says. 'It would facilitate knowledge sharing and also help women inspire each other.'
'The 24 women who have been selected as the national winners of European Athletics Women's Leadership Awards can be the platform for a pan-European movement that brings forward more and more leaders. I hope this initiative of European Athletics gains in strength with every passing year.'