Olympic high jump champion Hellebaut returns

Olympic high jump champion Tia Hellebaut is coming out of retirement and aims to compete at the 2012 London Games.

Olympic high jump champion Tia Hellebaut is coming out of retirement and aims to compete at the 2012 London Games.

HT Image

The Belgian made the announcement Tuesday on her 32nd birthday, eight months after giving birth to a daughter and 14 months after announcing her retirement.

Hellebaut retired Dec. 5, 2008, capping a year in which she won gold at the Beijing Olympics. When she quit she was also the reigning world indoor pentathlon winner and European indoor and outdoor high jump champion.