# Léa Sprunger

Léa Sprunger (born 5 March 1990) is a Swiss former track and field athlete. Originally a heptathlete like her older sister Ellen, she began concentrating on the 200 metres and 400 metres in 2011, and then on the 400 metres hurdles from 2015. Her best times in the 400m and 400m hurdles of 50.52 s (2018) and 54.06 s (2019) are the Swiss records. She finished fifth in the 400m hurdles final at the 2017 World Championships, and went on to win the gold medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2018 European Championships.

## Career

Born in Nyon, Vaud, Sprunger competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the women's 200 m event and the 4 × 100 m relay. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, she competed in the 400 m hurdles event and at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the 400 m hurdles event and the 4 × 400 m relay.
At the 2016 European Championships she finished third in the 400 m hurdles race. She won this event two years later at the 2018 European Championships.
Her personal best in the 400 m hurdles is 54.06 s set in Doha on 4 October 2019, also representing a new national record. She also holds the national record in the 400 metres with 50.52 s (set in La-Chaux-de-Fonds on 1 July 2018). In addition, she held the national record in the 200 metres for three years with 22.18 s (set in Geneva on 17 July 2016 and improved by Mujinga Kambundji on 24 August 2019).
Léa Sprunger retired from competitive athletics in September 2021.

## International championships

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Switzerland ||||||
| 2007 | World Youth Championships | Ostrava, Czech Republic | 13th | Heptathlon (youth) | 4878 pts |
| 2007 | European Youth Olympic Festival | Belgrade, Serbia | 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 46.17 |
| 2008 | World Junior Championships | Bydgoszcz, Poland | 10th | Heptathlon | 5451 pts |
| 2009 | European Junior Championships | Novi Sad, Serbia | 3rd | Heptathlon | 5552 pts |
| 2011 | European U23 Championships | Ostrava, Czech Republic | 16th | Heptathlon | 4808 pts |
| 2011 | Universiade | Shenzhen, China | 18th (sf) | 200 m | 24.17 |
| 2011 | Universiade | Shenzhen, China | 7th | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.65 |
| 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 13th (h) | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.04 |
| 2012 | European Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 13th (sf) | 200 m | 23.49 |
| 2012 | European Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 6th | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.61 |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 30th (h) | 200 m | 23.27 |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 13th (h) | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.54 |
| 2013 | European Indoor Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 17th (h) | 400 m | 54.45 |
| 2013 | Universiade | Kazan, Russia | 11th (sf) | 200 m | 23.80 |
| 2013 | Universiade | Kazan, Russia | 5th (h) | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.72$^1$ |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 12th (h) | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.21 |
| 2013 | Jeux de la Francophonie | Nice, France | 2nd | 200 m | 23.83 |
| 2013 | Jeux de la Francophonie | Nice, France | 2nd | 4 × 100 m relay | 45.01 |
| 2014 | World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 3rd (B) | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.55 |
| 2014 | World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 5th | 4 × 200 m relay | 1:31.75 |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 9th (sf) | 200 m | 23.12 |
| 2014 | European Championships | Zürich, Switzerland | 4th (h) | 4 × 100 m relay | 42.98$^2$ |
| 2015 | European Indoor Championships | Prague, Czech Republic | 20th (h) | 400 m | 53.97 |
| 2015 | World Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 8th | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.74 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 13th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 55.83 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 13th (h) | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.38 |
| 2016 | European Championships | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 3rd | 400 m hurdles | 55.41 |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 25th (h) | 400 m hurdles | 56.58 |
| 2017 | European Indoor Championships | Belgrade, Serbia | 5th | 400 m | 53.08 |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 5th | 400 m hurdles | 54.59 |
| 2018 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 6th (h) | 400 m | 52.46$^3$ |
| 2018 | European Championships | Berlin, Germany | 1st | 400 m hurdles | 54.33 |
| 2019 | European Indoor Championships | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 1st | 400 m | 51.61 |
| 2019 | European Indoor Championships | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 6th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:33.72 |
| 2019 | World Relays | Yokohama, Japan | 7th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:32.32 |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 4th | 400 m hurdles | 54.06 |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 14th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:30.63 |
| 2021 | European Indoor Championships | Toruń, Poland | 10th (sf) | 400 m | 52.64 |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 11th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 55.12 |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 12th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:25.90 |
$^1$Disqualified in the final
$^2$Did not finish in the final
$^3$Disqualified in the semifinals