Ann Jansson (born 1 July 1958) is a Swedish former racewalking athlete.
Career She represented her country at the World Championships in Athletics, IAAF World Indoor Championships and six times at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup. She was a medallist at the European Athletics Championships in 1986.
She was a pioneer in the early period of international women's walking and broke several European records. Her 10 kilometres race walk time of 47:58.2 minutes in 1981 was the first ever ratified by the European Athletics Association and she improved this to 47:49.3 the following year, and twice more to 46:14.3 in 1985 and 46:13.2 in 1986. Her record was beaten that same year by Soviet walker Aleksandra Grigoryeva. Her 20 kilometres race walk time of 1:36:37 in 1985 was the best ever recorded by a European woman, though the woman's event was not an officially recognised one at that point.European Records Progression (Women) . RSparks. Retrieved on 2017-01-21. In world rankings, she was the world's number one 10 km walker in 1981, having been the second best to Briton Carol Tyson a year earlier.World Top Performers 1980-2005: Women (Outdoor). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-01-21.
In international competition, her greatest achievement was a silver medal in the 10 km walk at the 1986 European Athletics Championships, finishing behind Spain's Mari Cruz Díaz in the first ever women's European Championships event in walking.European Championships (Women). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-01-21. The following year she took part in the first World Championships event and was eleventh in the women's 10 km walk. She was also a competitor in the first major women's indoor walking races, coming fifth at the 1985 IAAF World Indoor Games, sixth at the 1987 IAAF World Indoor Championships and seventh at the 1988 European Athletics Indoor Championships.Ann Jansson. IAAF. Retrieved on 2017-01-21. She raced at six consecutive edition of the IAAF World Race Walking Cup from 1979 to 1989, with her best finish being fifth in 1981. She was twice a team silver medallist with Sweden at that event.IAAF World Race Walking Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-01-21.
Jansson was a dominant figure at national level. At the Swedish Athletics Championships she was a twenty-time national champion. She won the 3000 m title from 1979 to 1986 (interrupted once by Britt Holmquist in 1980), won six 5000 m titles from 1980 to 1987 (losing twice to Siv Gustafsson) and won seven 10 km road titles from 1980 to 1987 (losing to Gustafsson in 1984).Swedish Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-01-21. At regional level, she was a five-time champion at the Nordic Race Walking Championships (three in 5 km, twice in 10 km).Nordic Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-01-21.
Jansson was twice winner at the prestigious annual Coppa Città di Sesto San Giovanni meet.Opuscolo . Sesto San Giovanni. Retrieved on 2013-05-06.
Personal bests 3000 metres race walk – 13:04.29 min (1987) 5 kilometres race walk – 23:08 min (1987) 10 kilometres race walk – 45:24 min (1987) 20 kilometres race walk – 1:34:59 min (1987)
International competitions 1976Nordic Indoor Race Walking ChampionshipsÖstersund, Sweden2nd3000 m walk (junior)15:10Nordic Indoor Racewalking Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2017-01-21.1979World Race Walking CupEschborn, West Germany17th5 km walk24:452ndTeam74 ptsNordic Race Walking ChampionshipsHärnösand, Sweden2nd5000 m walk24:191981World Race Walking CupValencia, Spain5th5 km walk23:42.22ndTeam104 ptsNordic Race Walking ChampionshipsFrøya, Norway1st5 km walk23:571983World Race Walking CupBergen, Norway14th10 km walk47:424thTeam118 ptsNordic Race Walking ChampionshipsCopenhagen, Denmark1st10 km walk48:271985World Indoor GamesParis, France5th3000 m walk13:47.18World Race Walking CupSt John's, Isle of Man11th10 km walk47:165thTeam58 ptsNordic Race Walking ChampionshipsPori, Finland1st5000 m walk22:17.11st10,000 m walk46:39.21986European ChampionshipsStuttgart, West Germany2nd10 km walk46.141987World Indoor ChampionshipsIndianapolis, United States6th3000 m walk13:04.29World Race Walking CupNew York City, United States9th10 km walk45:247thTeam146 ptsNordic Race Walking ChampionshipsGimo, Sweden1st5 km walk22:06World ChampionshipsRome, Italy11th10 km walk46:151988European Indoor ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary7th3000 m walk13:09.041989World Race Walking CupL'Hospitalet, Spain43rd10 km walk48:1512thTeam137 pts
National titles Swedish Athletics Championships 3000 m walk: 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 5000 m walk: 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 10 km walk: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987
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