# Heather Bergsma

Heather Bergsma (née Richardson; born March 20, 1989) is an American former speed skater who competed between 2006 and 2020.

## Career

Bergsma is a native of North Carolina. She represented the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where she finished 6th in 500 metres, 9th in the 1000 metres, and 16th in the 1500 metres. At the 2011 World Single Distance Championships in Inzell, Germany, she won a bronze medal in the 1000 metres. She also placed 8th in the 500 metres, and was part of the team pursuit team that finished in 8th place.
On January 26–27, 2013, Bergsma won the gold medal at the 2013 World Sprint Championships in Salt Lake City, United States. She has since won several world championship medals, and earned numerous podium placings in the World Cup. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, she won the bronze medal in the team pursuit.
Bergsma held the American record on the 500 metres distance from 2011 to 2021. She is the current world record holder in the 2 x 500 meters, and held the 1500 metres world record from 2015 to 2019, and also briefly held the 1000 metres world record in November 2015, and the sprint combination world record from 2013 to 2017.
She announced her retirement from skating in February 2020.

## Personal life

Bergsma married Dutch speed skater and marathon skater Jorrit Bergsma in May 2015, and competed as Heather Richardson-Bergsma the following season.

## Speed skating
### Records
#### Personal records

Personal records :
| Women's speed skating |||||
| Event | Result | Date | Location | Notes |
| 500 m | 36.90 | November 16, 2013 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | American record until beaten by Erin Jackson on December 3, 2021. |
| 2 x 500 m | 74.190 | December 28, 2013 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | Current world record. |
| 1000 m | 1:12.28 | February 26, 2017 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | |
| 1500 m | 1:50.85 | November 21, 2015 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | World record until beaten by Miho Takagi on March 10, 2019. |
| 3000 m | 4:05.00 | March 7, 2015 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | |
| 5000 m | 7:20.27 | March 8, 2015 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | |

#### World records

World records :
| Women's speed skating |||||
| Event | Result | Date | Location | Notes |
| 2 x 500 m | 74.190 | December 28, 2013 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | Current world record. |
| 1000 m | 1:12.51 | November 14, 2015 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | World record until beaten by Brittany Bowe on November 22, 2015. |
| 1500 m | 1:50.85 | November 21, 2015 | Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City | World record until beaten by Miho Takagi on March 10, 2019. |
| Sprint comb. | 147.735 | January 19–20, 2013 | Olympic Oval, Calgary | World record until beaten by Nao Kodaira on February 25–26, 2017. |

### Results timeline

| Season | World Sprint | World SD | World Cup | Olympic Games |
| 2007–08 | 25th | Did not participate | 53rd 500 m NC 1000 m | Not held |
| 2008–09 | 20th | 16th 2x500 m 15th 1000 m | NC 100 m 28th 500 m 22nd 1000 m NC 1500 m | Not held |
| 2009–10 | Did not participate | Not held | 9th 500 m 9th 1000 m | 6th 2x500 m 9th 1000 m 16th 1500 m |
| 2010–11 | 4th | 6th 2x500 m 1000 m 8th team pursuit | 4th 500 m 1000 m 14th 1500 m | Not held |
| 2011–12 | 6th | 4th 2x500 m 4th 1000 m 8th team pursuit | 9th 500 m 1000 m 21st 1500 m | Not held |
| 2012–13 | | 8th 2x500 m 6th 1000 m | 5th 500 m 1000 m 33rd 1500 m | Not held |
| 2013–14 | | Not held | 500 m 1000 m 17th 1500 m 1st GWC | 8th 2x500 m 7th 1000 m 7th 1500 m 6th team pursuit |
| 2014–15 | | 2x500 m 1000 m 1500 m | 500 m 5th 1000 m 1500 m 30th 3k/5k 18th mass start 1st GWC | Not held |
| 2015–16 | | 5th 2x500 m 1000 m 1500 m 13th mass start | 500 m 1000 m 1500 m 6th mass start | Not held |
    Note: NC = No classification.