Kęstutis Šapka (born 15 November 1949) is a retired Lithuanian

high jump The high jump is a track and field event in which competitors must jump unaided over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without dislodging it. In its modern, most-practiced format, a bar is placed between two standards with a crash mat f ...

er who represented the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. He was inspired to become a professional high jumper after the

1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Mexico 1968 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 October 1968, in Mexico City, Mexico. These were the first Ol ...

in Mexico and became one of the early adopters of

Fosbury Flop The Fosbury flop is a jumping style used in the track and field event of high jump. It was popularized and perfected by American athlete Dick Fosbury, whose gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City brought it to the world's attention. ...

. He retired due to recurring injuries. After retiring from competitions he worked as a trainer in Vilnius. In 2007, he was ranked as top 16 trainer in

track and field athletics Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

.Lietuvos lengvosios atletikos trenerių reitingas (TOP-20). 2007-08-4
Lietuvos lengvosios atletikos federacija

Achievements

References

1949 births Living people Lithuanian male high jumpers Soviet male high jumpers Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes for the Soviet Union Lithuanian athletics coaches European Athletics Championships medalists Athletes from Vilnius Soviet Athletics Championships winners {{Lithuania-athletics-bio-stub