Jan Niklas Patrik Sj�berg is a former Swedish high jumper and previous world record holder. With 2.42 metres, 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 fourth best in history, and only Javier Sotomayor has achieved a higher jump, which he did on three occasions. Sj�berg is also a two-time world indoor record holder with marks of 2.38 m and 2.41 m. In 1989, he underwent Achilles tendon surgery and his career went downhill. Sj�berg 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. Sj�berg is the only high jumper that has won medals from more than two olympic games. Sj�berg received the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1985. He has inspired many later Swedish high jumpers, most notably Kajsa Bergqvist, Linus Th�rnblad, 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. 

January 5th, 1965 in Gothenburg (Age 59)