Patrik Sjöberg Athlete
Jan Niklas Patrik Sjöberg 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.
