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Karen Cockburn: Family, Injuries & Net Worth

Karen Cockburn is one of the most decorated trampolinists in Olympic history.

She became the first-and-to-date, the only woman to win three Olympic medals in trampoline, establishing Canada as one of the premium Trampoline nations along the way.

Karen Cockburn, bronze medalist of Pan American Games 2015
Karen Cockburn, bronze medalist of Pan American Games 2015 (Source: Twitter.com)

This athlete is only the woman who has won the medal in the three consecutive Olympic Games in trampoline.

This article informs about Karen Cockburn’s early life, family, career, injury, and retirement.

Quick Facts

Here are some of the quick facts about Karen Cockburn that you may find helpful:

Birth Name Karen Cockburn
Age 43 years old
Nick Name K-Dawg
Date of Birth October 2, 1980
Gender Female
Profession Trampoline Gymnast
Place of Birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nationality Canadian
Ethnicity White
Horoscope Libra
Marital Status Married
Husband Mathieu Turgeon
Children One (Emilie)
Residence Stouffville, ON
Father Colin Cockburn
Mother Patricia Cockburn
Siblings One 
Education York University, Ontario
Religion Christian
Height 5’3.5″ (163 cm)
Weight 55 kg
Eye Color Blonde
Hair Color Blue
Hobbies Cooking, Snowboarding, Pilates
Net Worth $1 million – $5 million
Achievements Olympic Games: 2000-Bronze, 2004-Silver, 2008-Silver, 2014-4th 
FIG World Championships: 1998-5th, 1999-7th, 2001-5th, 2003-Gold, 2005-6th, 2007-8th, 2009-Bronze, 2011-4th, 2015-24th
World Championships: 2003-Gold, 2007-Gold and Silver, 2009-Silver and Bronze (2), 2011-Silver and Bronze
Pan American Games: 2007-Gold, 2011-DNF, 2015-Bronze
Pan American Championships: 2006-Gold(2), 2014-9th
Pacific Rim Championships: 2008-Silver, 2010-Gold, 2012-Silver
Social Media Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
Retirement July 16, 2017
Gymnastics Merch Balance BeamsBars
Last Update March, 2024

Karen Cockburn: Early Life, Family, and Education

An elite athlete, Karen Cockburn, was born on October 2, 1980, in Toronto. However, most of Karen’s childhood memories are of North York, Ontario. 

She has traits of an athlete from her early childhood days; that’s why her parents Colin and Patricia, believed that their daughter would be an athlete.

Moreover, they had memories of her running around the house doing cartwheels and vaulting over couches. 

When she was 12 years old, she was already dreaming of performing in the Olympics.

At that time, she was inspired by her childhood heroes Silken Laumann and Mark Tewksbury.

In addition, seeing them achieve greatness and hearing their stories inspired her to dream of her own Olympics appearance.  

Initially, Karen used to do both diving and gymnastics. Later she used to use the trampoline as a training tool for her dives in the pursuit of diving.

Moreover, she discovered that the trampoline was a sport in itself. Eventually, she got hooked on it. 

The athlete started taking the trampoline classes in Skyriders Trampoline Place and was coached by Dave Ross. 

About her education, she went to York University in Toronto. Also, she studied Holistic Nutrition at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. 

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Karen Cockburn: Age, Height, and Weight

The Canadian trampoline gymnast Karen Cockburn is 163 cm tall. She is  43 years old.

Similarly, the Canadian gymnast’s weight is about 55 kg. 

Moreover, she also promotes a healthy lifestyle and keeps herself fit and healthy. 

Karen Cockburn: Career

From the athletic pursuit of diving to the trampoline, Karen Cockburn made an unexpected debut in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

She performed well in the Trampoline Olympics and earned a bronze medal.

Besides the medal, she was recognized by the World as everyone in the Olympics appreciated her performance. 

She started appearing in the Olympics after her debut in 2000. Followed it up with silvers at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 and finished fourth in London 2012 Olympics.  

In addition, Cockburn won the first World Championships medals in 2003.

Once again, in 2007, she stood on the top of the podium with her long-time teammate Rosie Maclennan in a synchronized trampoline.

Likewise, she won individual Bronze in 2009, synchro silver in 2009 and 2011 (both with MacLennan), team silver (2007), and Bronze (2009, 2011) in the World Championships. 

Pan American Games

Besides international recognition, Cockburn won gold in the individual trampoline in 2007 Rio de Janeiro and a bronze in 2015 Toronto. 

Pacific Rim Championships

Not to mention, Karen is the Pacific Rim Champion also. Pacific Rim Championships is a regional biennial gymnastics competition.

Moreover, she won two gold in 2012 Everett, one for the Synchro and another for the Team. Likewise, she won a silver in the individual category.

Pan American Championships

The elite athlete has won three gold medals in Pan American Championships.

Pan American Championships are the Americas’ official continental championships, organizing different gymnastics disciplines.

Moreover, the gymnastics disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics, trampoline, and tumbling. 

She is one of the Pan American Champions. She has won a Gold medal in the individual event of the 2006 Monterrey Championships.

And the Canadian gymnast also won gold medals in the team event of 2006 Monterrey and 2014 Mississauga. 

Karen Cockburn: Injury

Her journeys to the world championships also include some anticipated but bad injuries. 

In 2008 just two weeks before the qualifying competition for Olympics, she injured her knee and was required surgery after the game.

Again, in November 2014, Karen Cockburn fractured her ankle two days before the world championships.

Moreover, she fell during a practice session and hit her ankle in the metal frame of the trampoline.

After that, she ended up with a steel plate and eight screws into the joint.

But she returned to training in March 2015. None of these injuries stopped her from performing and giving her best shot on the trampoline.  

Karen Cockburn: Husband and Kid

On December 22, 2007, Karen married her fellow Olympian and former training partner Mathieu Turgeon. They both are the 2000 Olympic bronze medallists. 

In their loving life, they brought another member, her daughter Emilie, into their family in September 2013. The couple is settled in Stouffville, Ontario.

Karen Cockburn is a very active and enthusiastic mother. She also loves traveling and doing many outdoor activities. The family also travels around very much.

In addition, they have installed a trampoline in their backyard for her daughter to play.

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Karen Cockburn: Net worth

The net worth of the Karen Cockburn is estimated to be around $ 1 million – $ 5 million. Moreover, the athlete is a National Team Director at Gymnastics Canada. 

She is also a Level 3 NCCP trampoline coach and has been a guest clinician at the various trampoline and tumbling camps across North America.  

Also, Karen Cockburn published her autobiography, called Karen Cockburn: Soaring High, in November 2007. 

Karen Cockburn: After Retirement

On July 16, 2017, Karen Cockburn announced her retirement from trampoline gymnastics. Due to her ankle injury, Karen decided to retire from the sport.

However, after retirement, she continued to work with the sponsors and focused on raising her daughter. She plans to stay involved in the sports as she also coaches trampoline.

After that, Cockburn officially joined GymCan in July 2018. 

Since 2019, she has been the National Team Director at the Gymnastics Canada for the Trampoline Gymnastics.  

For now, Karen is involved in growing and developing the sports to continue Canada’s position as a leading Trampoline Gymnastics nation.

Also, she promotes health and fitness for families as she studied holistic nutrition at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.

Here is another world championships gymnast Nicole Pechanec: Early, Career, Gymnastics & Net Worth that you might want to know about. 

Social Media Presences

Karen Cockburn doesn’t seem to hide her private life from the outside world.

The athlete is active on many social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The athlete loves to post pictures of her family, and also she shares her daughter’s growth through different posts.

Also, she has shared her wedding photographs with the World and her fans.

Karen Cockburn's family
Karen Cockburn’s family (Source: Instagram.com)

Likewise, she also shares her memories of her beautiful and memorable journey on trampoline gymnastics.

Karen seems to encourage other trampoline athletes from her social media posts. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Who is Karen Cockburn?

Karen Cockburn in the former Canadian Trampoline Gymnast. She was born on October 2, 1980, in Toronto.

She is the first-and-to-date only woman in Olympic history to win three consecutive games.

Likewise, she also has other championships titles: Pan American Games, FIG World Championships, Pan American Championships, and Pacific Rim Championships. 

Currently, Karen is the National Team Director at the Gymnastics Canada for the Trampoline Gymnastics.

And she is engaged in growing and developing sports in Canada. Likewise, she also coaches many young athletes too.

Is Karen Cockburn married?   

Yes, Karen Cockburn is married to the former trampoline gymnast Mathieu Turgeon.

In the 2000 Olympics Games, they were a couple when they both won a medal.

Later on December 22, 2007, they got married and are living a happy married life with a daughter.

Does Karen Cockburn have a child?

Yes, the Canadian Olympic trampolinists Karen Cockburn is a mother of one child. Karen gave birth to a daughter in September 2013 and named her Emilie.

Karen loves her daughter. Also, her daughter Emilie’s middle name, Sydney, reflects the host city of the 2000 Olympic Games, where she and her husband Mathieu Turgeon won bronze medals in the trampoline. 

How many times Karen Cockburn is the Olympic Champion?

Karen Cockburn is the three-time Olympic medallist.

Her first Olympic game was in 2000 held in Sydney, where she won a bronze medal representing Canada. 

Furthermore, she again performed in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and won a silver medal. Following it up, she won a silver in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Her last Olympic Game was in 2014, where she ended up with 4th position. 

Not only Olympics, but she has also performed in many International Championships. 

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