Patrik Sjöberg

Patrik Sjöberg

Patrick Sjöberg 2011
Personal information
Full name	Jan Niklas Patrik Sjöberg
Born	(1965-01-05) 5 January 1965 (age 47) Gothenburg, Västra Götaland County
Height	2.00 m (6 ft 6.7 in)
Sport
Country	Sweden
Club	Örgryte IS
Retired	1999
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	2.42 m 2.41 m (indoors)
Medal record Men’s Athletics Olympic Games Silver 1984 Los Angeles High jump Silver 1992 Barcelona High jump Bronze 1988 Seoul High jump World Championships Gold 1987 Rome High jump World Indoor Championships Gold 1985 Paris High jump Silver 1993 Toronto High jump Bronze 1989 Budapest High jump European Indoor Championships Gold 1985 Athens High jump Gold 1987 Lievin High jump Gold 1988 Budapest High jump Gold 1992 Genoa High jump

Jan Niklas Patrik Sjöberg (born 5 January 1965 in Gothenburg, Västra Götaland) is a former Swedish high jumper and previous world record holder. With 2.42 metres (7 ft 11.3 in), he holds the Swedish as well as the European record in men's high jump. His 1987 world record 2.42m - set in Stockholm on 30 June 1987 - is the best jump in history for anyone who has not tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. However, Sotomayor bettered that mark outdoors three times (1988, 1989 and 1993) and he did not test positive on any of those occasions. Sjöberg is also a two-time world indoor record holder with marks of 2.38 m (1985) and 2.41 m (1987). In 1989, he underwent Achilles tendon surgery and his career went downhill.

Sjöberg has a gold medal from the World Championships in Rome 1987 and has 3 olympic medals. Two silver medals from Los Angeles 1984 and Barcelona 1992 and one bronze medal from Seuol 1988. Sjöberg is the only high jumper that has won medals from more than two olympic games.

Sjöberg received the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1985. He has inspired many later Swedish high jumpers, most notably Kajsa Bergqvist, Linus Thornblad, Staffan Strand, and Stefan Holm. His world record of 2.42 m was broken one year later, when, on the eve of the Seoul Summer Olympics, Javier Sotomayor jumped 2.43 m in September 1988 at a meet in Spain.

Medals

• 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships - Silver medal
• 1992 Summer Olympics - Silver medal
• 1992 European Indoor Championships - Gold medal
• 1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships - Bronze medal
• 1988 Summer Olympics - Bronze medal
• 1988 European Indoor Championships - Gold medal
• 1987 World Championships in Athletics - Gold medal
• 1987 European Indoor Championships - Gold medal
• 1985 European Indoor Championships - Gold medal
• 1985 IAAF World Indoor Championships - Gold medal
• 1984 Summer Olympics - Silver medal

Further reading

• Sjöberg, Patrik: Att Leva på Hoppet. Sportförlaget i Europa AB. ISBN 91-88540-48-0. (Swedish)

External links

• Men's high jump records - IAAF
• IAAF profile for Patrik Sjöberg
• sports-reference

Notes and references

• sports-reference

Records
Preceded by Igor Paklin	Men's High Jump World Record Holder 30 June 1987 – 8 September 1988	Succeeded by Javier Sotomayor
Awards
Preceded by Gunde Svan	Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal 1985	Succeeded by Tomas Johansson
Sporting positions
Preceded by Igor Paklin	Men's High Jump Best Year Performance 1987	Succeeded by Javier Sotomayor